Shafali Verma's 64 sends India into the Women's Asia Cup final with a 40-run win over Bangladesh

Shafali Verma's 64 from 40 balls set up a 40-run win over Bangladesh that carried India into Sunday's Women's Asia Cup final in Dubai

India reached the final of the Women's Asia Cup on Thursday, beating Bangladesh by 40 runs in the first semi-final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Asked to bat first after losing the toss, India made 149 for 6 and then held Bangladesh to 109 for 7.

Shafali Verma struck seven fours and three sixes in her 64 and was named player of the match on a surface that gave the spinners grip and offered the batters little pace to work with.

Deepti Sharma then took 3-26 to break up the reply, and India, unbeaten through the tournament, will meet the winner of Friday's second semi-final between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the title match on Sunday.

Shafali sets the tempo

India lost Smriti Mandhana for 2 in the second over, and the innings was Shafali's from that point. She hit straight and hard early, then went square and behind square as the field spread, including an inventive reverse sweep.

Bangladesh did not help themselves. Shafali was put down three times and survived a missed run-out, and each reprieve was followed by more scoring rather than caution.

Her half-century, her 20th in T20 internationals, came at better than a run a ball and she finished at a strike rate of 160 before the innings closed around her.

India stall after the opener falls

Pratika Rawal made 20 from 24 balls in support, a slower innings that reflected how hard the pitch was to force away.

Richa Ghosh added 21 from 16 and captain Harmanpreet Kaur finished unbeaten on 24 from 28, with Deepti taking 13 off the last few deliveries to push India past 145.

Sultana Khatun was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers with 2-30, while Marufa Akter, Nahida Akter and Rabeya Khan took one apiece.

Deepti squeezes the chase

Juairiya Ferdous and Dilara Akter gave Bangladesh a positive start, but the required rate climbed as soon as the spinners came on and the ball began to hold in the pitch.

Dilara top-scored with 21 and Nigar made 19, and neither innings ended in a partnership long enough to change the arithmetic.

Deepti's three wickets left her the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 11, and the middle overs passed without Bangladesh landing a significant blow.

Nandani closes it with the last two balls

Nandani Sharma finished the innings in the most emphatic way available, taking wickets with each of the last two deliveries to end with 2-10.

Fahima Khatun was caught at point by Prema Rawat, and Rabeya Khan followed next ball. Shree Charani and Rawat took a wicket each earlier in the innings.

Bangladesh had needed 110 to win and never threatened the rate, the margin settled long before the last pair of deliveries made it tidy.

A final in Dubai on Sunday

India's place in the final was booked before the second semi-final had even been played, and their opponents will be decided on Friday when Pakistan meet Sri Lanka at the same ground.

The final is scheduled for Sunday, 13 September, in Dubai, with India carrying an unbeaten record through the group stage and the knockout round into it.

Harmanpreet's side will go in with the tournament's leading wicket-taker in Deepti and an opener in the kind of form that decided this semi-final on her own.

Scorecard: India Women 149 for 6 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 64, Harmanpreet Kaur 24*, Richa Ghosh 21; Sultana Khatun 2-30) beat Bangladesh Women 109 for 7 in 20 overs (Dilara Akter 21, Nigar Sultana 19; Deepti Sharma 3-26, Nandani Sharma 2-10) by 40 runs.

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