Shafali Verma's 64 takes India to a tenth Women's Asia Cup final

India reached the Women's T20 Asia Cup final for the tenth time on Thursday, beating Bangladesh by 40 runs in Dubai. Shafali Verma made 64 off 40 balls, with seven fours and three sixes, after being dropped on 6, 11 and 56. India posted 149 for 6. Bangladesh finished on 109 for 7.

Deepti Sharma took 3 for 26. Nandani Sharma took 2 for 10. Dilara Akter made 21 and Shorna Akter was 22 not out for Bangladesh. Sultana Khatun took 2 for 30 with the ball and finally ended Shafali's innings when substitute Farjana Easmin held a catch at long-on.

Bangladesh won the toss and bowled. Smriti Mandhana went early, caught by Shorna Akter off Sultana for 2. Shafali and Pratika Rawal added 50 off 44 balls before Rawal fell for 20 off 24, caught by Dilara off Rabeya Khan. India were 45 for 1 after the powerplay. Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain, was 24 not out off 28 after a slow start, four runs off her first 16 balls. Richa Ghosh made 21 off 16.

The three lives

Fahima Khatun spilled Shafali at long-on off Sultana in the second over. Nahida Akter dropped a low chance at mid-on off Marufa Akter two overs later. A run-out chance also went begging. On 56 the ball hit Shafali on the chin and chest and ran for four. Sultana then had her caught in the 14th over.

The rest of India's top order scored at a strike rate under 100 on a slow surface. Shafali's strike rate was 160. She pulled Marufa off the front foot, reverse-swept, and hit the spinners down the ground. Four dropped catches in the innings, three of them Shafali's, were the difference between 149 and a total closer to 120, the range Bangladesh's attack had been defending in the group stage.

What a tenth final means

India have played in every Women's Asia Cup final. Harmanpreet's side came into the semi-final unbeaten in this edition. Bangladesh had bowled tightly through the group and chose to chase. The fielding errors undid that plan. Deepti then used the same slow pitch to keep the reply under a run a ball.

The final will be India's tenth appearance in the title match. The opponent will come from the other semi-final. For Bangladesh the file is the catching. Three chances off one batter on a ground that rewards mistakes with sixes is a complete account of the night. Shafali did not need a second invitation. She used all three.