Asian Games: Indian women's cricket team reaches semis after a rain-marred encounter

Indian women's cricket team qualified for the semi-finals of Asian Games 2023 as rain played a spoilsport in the quarter-final between India and Malaysia in Hangzhou, China on Thursday.

Shafali Verma played with an inexperienced Malaysian attack to register 39-ball-67 as the Indian team entered with better ICC rankings after rain forced the match to end without a result.

Due to rain, the match was reduced to 15 over-a-side affair and India scored 173 of 2, thanks to Shafali, Smriti Mandhana's 27 off 16 balls, Jemimah Rodrigues' 47 of 29 balls, and Richa Ghosh's 21-run cameo.

The Malaysian team played only two balls before the heavy rain resulted in the match being called off.

India is the top-seeded Asian team in the competition as per their ICC ranking on June 1.

India is playing without skipper Harmanpreet Kaur who is banned for two matches due to disciplinary charges by ICC and she will come back if India reaches the final.

Before the match was called off, Shafali Verma put on a display for the fans after Malaysian captain Winifred Duraisingam elected to field on a slow deck.

It was a poor display from the Malaysian bowlers and fielders together.

The lack of pace in their deliveries forced Shafali to walk down the track to meet the ball early. Mandhana, at the other end, got some full-tosses which were dispatched to all corners of the ground.

Shafali's innings had five sixes apart from four boundaries and mostly in the region between square leg and deep mid-wicket apart from a straight six that got her to a well-compiled half-century.

Rodrigues and Ghosh also had a fun time after Shafali was adjudged leg before wicket. Rodrigues added 86 for the second wicket with Shafali before Richa came in and blasted four boundaries in the final over to take India over the 170-run mark.