Bangkok, February 17 – India A delivered a dominant performance to defeat Nepal A by seven wickets in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026, held at the Terdthai Cricket Ground.
After winning the toss and choosing to field, India A’s spinners dominated the match, dismissing Nepal for 78 in 18 overs before the batters completed the chase in just 7.5 overs.
Nepal started cautiously, with Bindu Rawal and Samjhana Khadka scoring 22 for the first wicket. Khadka provided early momentum with a series of boundaries, briefly taking Nepal to 55/2 in nine overs.
However, the introduction of spin completely shifted the momentum. Minnu Mani broke through with the stumping of Rawal and went on to claim 3-8, applying sustained pressure with tight lines. Tanuja Kanwer was the standout performer, dismantling the middle order with figures of 4-12 in her four overs. She dismissed the dangerous Khadka for 22 and continued to take wickets as Nepal slumped from 55/2 to 65/9 in a dramatic fashion.
Radha Yadav contributed with two late wickets, including one in the final over, as sharp fielding and disciplined bowling ensured that Nepal never recovered from the middle-order collapse. Only brief resistance from the top order helped them reach 78 all out.
The chase began with a minor setback as Deeya Yadav was dismissed in the first over by Manisha Upadhyay. Anushka Sharma struck a couple of boundaries but was soon dismissed, leaving India A at 25/2.
From there, the match was effectively decided. Vrinda Dinesh launched a counterattack, finding boundaries all around the ground. She scored 39 off just 16 deliveries, consistently hitting clean shots to the deep mid-wicket and long-off regions. Tejal Hasabnis complemented her well with a brisk 18 off 13 balls, as the pair scored 22 runs in a decisive over.
Although Hasabnis fell with victory in sight, Dinesh finished the game in style with consecutive boundaries, sealing the win with more than 12 overs to spare.
India A’s dominance stemmed from their control in the middle overs and their fearless approach in the chase. The spin trio of Kanwer, Mani, and Radha dictated terms, while the batting unit ensured there were no late nerves.
For Nepal A, the inability to build partnerships after a promising start proved costly, and their modest total left little room for error.
In the end, it was a comprehensive seven-wicket victory that underlined India A Women’s credentials as one of the strongest teams in the tournament.
Brief Scores: Nepal 78/10 (Samjhana Khadka 22, Rubi Poddar 12; Tanuja Kanwer 4-12, Minnu Mani 3-8) lost to India A (Vrinda Dinesh 39, Tejal Hasabnis 18; Manisha Upadhyay 1-28, Sita Rana Magar 1-9) by seven wickets
