India decimate Malaysia with 142-run win in tournament opener

Mithali Raj's unbeaten 97 powered India women to 169 for 3 before the bowlers shot Malaysia out for 27 in a resounding 142-run victory to open the Women's T20 Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Not a single Malaysia batsman managed to make a score in double-figures as India ran through their line-up with six bowlers who bowled a combined five maiden overs. Medium-pacer Pooja Vastrakar was the most successful bowler, taking 3 for 6, while Poonam Yadav chipped in with two wickets without conceding a run in her two overs.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur had elected to bat and was needed in the middle overs to add impetus, after her team had fallen to 35 for 2 just after the Powerplay was done. Her 23-ball 32 did exactly that, but the innings was dictated by Raj, who batted through the 20 overs with a strike rate of 140.57.

Raj hit 13 fours and a six in her knock, but couldn't find the boundary in the last two overs when she was eight away from a century. Her 86-run stand with Kaur came off just 53 balls and she closed the innings off with Deepti Sharma, who did manage to find boundaries at the end to lift India to 169.

In response, Malaysia lost half their side within five overs, falling to 12 for 5. Captain Winifred Duraisingam, Sasha Azmi, and Zumika Azmi were the only batsmen to display resistance, but their comparatively long stays at the crease yielded no substantial scores as India completed a massive victory.