India thrash Pakistan to win Women's Asia Cup cricket title for sixth time

India have won their sixth-straight Women's Asia Cup title after defeating Pakistan in Bangkok, Thailand on Sunday. Harmanpreet Kaur's side demolished Bismah Maroof's side by 17 runs in the final.

India Women remained nothing but special in the cricket tournament and that class showcased once again in the all-important final against arch-rivals Pakistan Women. The legendary Mithali Raj scored another half century, the lanky Jhulan Goswami hit a plethora of sixes in her innings and just when it seemed like Pakistan got the flow from the start of their innings to chase down the target, the Indian spinners showed their form!

India's left-arm orthodox spinner Ekta Bisht has almost made the Asian Institute of Technology Cricket Ground in Bangkok her favourite venue, after creating an impressive name for herself from the Women's Asia Cup T20 2016. 

Mithali remained unbeaten at 73 runs from 65 balls in her innings, as India Women won the toss and elected to bat first. The likes of Smriti Mandhana, Veda Krishnamurthy and Harmanpreet couldn't get to double figures with the bat, but in the end, Mithali and Jhulan's partnership amounted to a lot of runs, as India finished their innings on 121 runs.

Ayesha Zafar and Javeria Khan tried to give Pakistan Women a good start initially, but once the Indian spinners including Ekta, Preeti Bose and the veteran pacer Jhulan started getting their momentum, it was all over for the Greens. Skipper Bismah tried her best from the middle order, but even she couldn't make much of an impact.

Ekta finished her spell with two wickets and giving away 22 runs. The performance of Indian wicket-keeper Sushma Verma can also not remain neglected, as she was behind two dismissals, using her active self to make two stumpings.

7000 USD remained the prize money for the champions.

The all-important stats