HANGZHOU: India crushed Bangladesh by nine wickets on Friday to power into the gold medal match in Hangzhou as they bid to win the Asian Games title on their first attempt.
Awaiting their young, but still formidable, side in Saturday’s title-decider will be Pakistan or Afghanistan, who meet later.
Twenty20 cricket has been played at the Asian Games twice before, at Guangzhou 2010 and Incheon 2014, with Bangladesh and then Sri Lanka crowned champions.
India did not take part and are playing at an Asiad for the first time.
On an overcast day at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field, they won the toss and chose to field on a pitch that has been susceptible to spin.
It proved to be the case again, with Bangladesh stumbling to 96-9. Sai Kishore grabbed 3-12 and Washington Sundar 2-15.
Only three Bangladesh batters made double figures, led by Jaker Ali’s unbeaten 24.
While Bangladesh struggled, India made it look easy, steaming to their target in 9.2 overs for the loss of one wicket. Tilak Varma was 55 not out and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad unbeaten on 40.
Their chase got off to a horror start with quarter-final century-maker Yashasvi Jaiswal out for a duck in the first over, caught at fine leg.
But fellow opener Gaikwad quickly seized back control, plundering 20 from the third over including two big consecutives sixes off fast bowler Ripon Mondol.
Varma got in on the act in the next over, also crashing straight sixes, this time off Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, as they raced to 50-1.
In contrast, while opener Parvez Hossain Emon hit a six in their second over, Bangladesh had found runs hard to come by.
India got the breakthrough in the fifth over with Mahmudul Hasan Joy holing out to Jaiswal at mid-on off Kishore for five.
Most of India’s big names, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, are at home for the one-day World Cup, but their squad in Hangzhou still has some top talent.
Spinner Sundar has played all three formats of the game for his country and Bangladesh couldn’t cope with his tricky offbreaks.
Skipper Saif Hassan and Zakir Hasan were both out in the space of three balls.
Emon ground 23 off 32, but he too succumbed to spin, shanking to cover off Varma as Bangladesh crawled to 36-4 in the ninth over.
Gaikwad’s decision to deploy Kishore again paid immediate dividends with Afif Hossain and Shahadat Hossain both out to soft dismissals, before Ali’s late flurry.
Rampant India crush Bangladesh to reach Asian Games cricket final
https://arab.news/vbee6
Rampant India crush Bangladesh to reach Asian Games cricket final
- Awaiting India's young but still formidable side in Saturday’s title-decider will be Pakistan or Afghanistan
- Twenty20 cricket has been played at the Asian Games twice before, at Guangzhou 2010 and Incheon 2014
Holders Crystal Palace stunned by Macclesfield in biggest ever FA Cup shock
- Macclesfield are also still coming to terms with the death of forward Euan McLeod
- Palace are now winless in nine games in all competitions
MACCLESFIELD, UK: Crystal Palace’s defense of the FA Cup came to an embarrassing end as they were beaten 2-1 by sixth-tier Macclesfield in the biggest shock in the competition’s history.
The 117 places that separate Premier League outfit Palace from Macclesfield of the National League North in the English football pyramid is the most ever overcome by an underdog side in FA Cup history.
Captain Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts scored either side of half-time to secure a famous victory for a club that were forced to reform in 2020 after being wound up for unpaid debts.
Macclesfield are also still coming to terms with the death of forward Euan McLeod, who died aged 21, less than a month ago after a car accident when he was traveling home after a match.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who has been linked with the vacant managerial post at Manchester United, made six changes but his starting line-up still included England internationals Marc Guehi and Adam Wharton.
Palace are now winless in nine games in all competitions and set-piece defending has been at the heart of that slump.
Macclesfield took full advantage when Dawson powered in a header from a free-kick just before half-time.
Glasner turned his back in disbelief at the goalmouth scramble that led to the sixth-division side’s second goal.
Buckley-Ricketts prodded past Walter Benitez from close range on the hour after Palace fluffed multiple opportunities to clear the danger.
Spanish international Yeremy Pino’s pinpoint free-kick in the 90th minute showed the quality the Premier League side possess.
But they could not save themselves from going down in history for the wrong reasons just months on from beating Manchester City at Wembley to win a major trophy for the first time.
