Luck favors Smriti Mandhana as she survives getting out on double-bounced delivery

In the ongoing finals of the Women's Asia Cup 2024, India's Smriti Mandhana went on to score 60 runs off 47 balls, including 10 boundaries. She played confidently throughout the innings and attacked every bowler possible. However, in the 16th over, Mandhana was presumably out on Chamari Athapaththu's delivery but got saved in the end. 

When Athapaththu was bowling, the ball slipped off her hands and went to Mandhana, but before that, it bounced twice before reaching the batter. Mandhana played the shot straight to the bowler who didn't make any mistake this time. However, since the ball bounced twice before reaching the batter, Mandhana survived the dismissal. The ball was given a no-ball. 

In the next over, Mandhana got out to Kavisha Dilhari as she looked to slog-sweep but mistimed the ball to the right of deep mid-wicket. The fielder was already in motion and caught the ball easily. The innings was extremely important from the Indian perspective as India reached 165 runs in the end. Even though the score doesn't seem to be much but the pitch is slow, and India might actually defend it with solid blowing. 

We need to keep up the consistency and keep doing well: Jemimah Rodrigues

India's star batter Jemimah Rodrigues talked about the team combination and how they spoke about the Asia Cup even before it took place. The entire team was quite confident about playing in the tournament and understood that they had to be confident throughout. Moreover, Rodrigues praised the way the team has been functioning and the positive attitude they have displayed during the tournament. 

"What we have been speaking since the South Africa series which took place before that Asia Cup is that, we need to be consistent in whatever we are doing, and that will be the key heading into the World Cup. We understand the chemistry and we understand each other, we need to keep up the consistency and keep doing well," said Jemimah Rodrigues.