India women beat Malaysia by 10 wickets in the ICC Under-19 Women’s World Cup on Tuesday.
Debutant left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma (5/5) produced the best-ever figures in the Imatch, including a hat-trick, to lead India to a dominant victory over Malaysia.
Vaishnavi, alongside fellow left-arm spinner Ayushi Shukla (3/8), dismantled Malaysia’s batting line-up, bowling it out for just 31 in 14.3 overs. India wasted no time in chasing down the modest target, reaching 32 without loss in just 2.5 overs. G Trisha played a standout role, finishing unbeaten on 27 off 12 balls, including five fours.
With four points, India sits atop its group, level with Sri Lanka but boasting a superior Net Run Rate (+9.1 to Lanka’s +5.5). The easy chase, however, was made possible by Vaishnavi’s brilliant bowling performance.
The pitch offered considerable turn and bounce, which Vaishnavi exploited to the fullest, leaving Malaysia’s batters clueless. Her hat-trick victims — Nur Ain Binti Roslan, Nur Isma Dania, and Siti Nazwah — were all dismissed in the 14th over, as Malaysia crumbled from 24/6 to 30/9.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better debut with a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul. My journey has had its ups and downs, and I look up to Radha Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja. I had visualised how to get wickets here last night,” Vaishnavi said after the match.
Earlier, she had already dismissed Malaysia’s skipper Nur Syuhada and Nuriman, with no batter from the host side managing to reach double figures. India also bowled 10 wides, which inflated Malaysia’s total.
