Women ease past SL

Jubilant Bangladesh women's cricket team members celebrate after reaching the Asian Games final following their 25-run win over Sri Lanka yesterday at Incheon. Photo: BPJA

A five-wicket haul from pacer Panna Ghosh powered Bangladesh into the final of women's cricket event of the Asian Games in this city in South Korea yesterday.
They recorded an emphatic 25-run win over Sri Lanka in the second semifinal at the Yeonhui Cricket Ground to progress to the gold medal match against Pakistan.
The triumph made sure that the Bangladeshi women would retain the silver medal they won in the Guangzhou Asian Games four years ago. And today's final against the defending champions at this venue offers Bangladesh an opportunity to avenge their defeat in 2010.
Bangladesh bundled out Sri Lanka for 70 runs in 18.2 overs after putting up 95 for four in their stipulated 20 overs as the right-arm pacer claimed the second five-for in her career to take her side closer to the dream of winning the gold.
"I was asked to bowl wicket to wicket and I just tried to follow the instruction though I never thought that I would get five wickets. Now I am happy because we have fulfilled our target after winning the match," said Panna after the match.
Not only were the players happy, BCB directors, chief executive officer, chief selector and ICC president AHM Mostafa Kamal also looked happy after the match although they were a little tensed when the batters could manage only 95.
"Though we could manage 95 runs, we took it as if we scored only 70 and fielded tightly in an effort to bowl them out within that mark and it was possible only because of team spirit," said Panna, who claimed her first five-wicket haul against the UAE in Malaysia.
Panna made the early breakthroughs when she removed two batswomen with her first and third deliveries of the day after Jahanara Alam gave away six runs in the opening over.
In the face of tight bowling, Sri Lanka could manage only 16 runs in the first five overs and Rumana Ahmed struck in the sixth over to reduce them to 16 for 3. The Lankan batters stuck to the pitch to steady the innings till the 12th over before Panna came back for her second spell to take two more wickets in his third over to halt the progress of the Sri Lankans, who once looked set to chase down the target.
Panna finally completed her five-wicket haul after removing SS Weerakkody at the cost of only 10 runs with one maiden over.
After being put in to bat, Bangladesh's start was not a good one as they lost both openers including last match's half-centurion Ayesha Rahman cheaply. Lata Mondol (34 not out) and Farjana Hoque (22) and Salma Khatun (14) however steered the team to the eventual winning total, some 12 runs less than the total they scored against Nepal in the quarterfinals. Ayesha however tried to compensate with three nice catches.
Bangladesh's Sri Lankan coach Chamika Gamage was upbeat about the final and hopes to beat Pakistan this time around.
"It is a memorable moment for me as we are close to the gold medal and if we can put such total on the board against Pakistan, we can beat them in the final," said Gamage.