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In a touching gesture of goodwill, Nepal cricket Women’s team captain Indu Barma presented a statue of Buddha to Smriti Mandhana after their Women’s Asia Cup T20 match on Tuesday, July 23. The game, held at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, saw India facing Nepal in the 10th match of the group stage.
With regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur rested, Smriti Mandhana took charge of the Indian team. India, batting first, set a formidable target with a splendid 178-3 in their 20 overs. The innings were propelled by openers Shafali Verma and Dayalan Hemalatha, who put on a 122-run stand. Verma scored an impressive 81 off 48 balls, while Hemalatha contributed 47 off 42 balls. Jemimah Rodrigues added a brisk 28 off 15 balls. For Nepal, Sita Rana Magar claimed two wickets.
In response, Nepal struggled against India’s bowlers, particularly Deepti Sharma, who took three wickets. Nepal’s innings faltered, ending at 96/9, resulting in a loss of 82 runs.
Post-match, the gesture by Indu Barma—a statue of Buddha—was presented to Smriti Mandhana as a “Token of Love,” reflecting the bond between the two teams and nations. The Indian Women’s team will next be seen in action on Friday, July 26, in the semifinal of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 in Dambulla.
