Following hot on the heels of the Men’s T20 Asia Cup, the Women’s T20 Asia Cup took place in October 2022 and saw the highly fancied Indian team run out as clear winners after swatting aside Sri Lanka in the final. That means that India have won seven of eight tournaments since its inception and truly dominate the women’s sport in T20 format.
In that sense, those who like to indulge in T20 Asia Cup betting with bitcoins are likely to have already picked out their predicted winners when the competition returns in two years’ time. But aside from the obvious victors of the tournament, who else can we identify as winners on another level? We take a look at the main candidates below.
Jemimah Rodrigues
The Indian allrounder had an excellent Asia Cup and topped the scoring charts, hitting an incredible 217 runs from just six innings, including two in which she was not bowled out. On two separate occasions (against Sri Lanka on the opening day and against the UAE three days later) she scored 75 runs or more, while her batting average of 54.25 was among the strongest of anyone to appear at the competition. That imperious form was key to helping her country win the title for a record seventh time.
Deepti Sharma
If Jemima Rodrigues was India’s batting heroine, Deepti Sharma kept her end of the bargain from the other side of the pitch. Sharma took a remarkable 13 wickets from just eight innings and 30 overs, allowing the opposition only 100 runs in that time. For her exploits she was awarded the prestigious accolade of Player of the Tournament. Aside from serious bragging rights, that honor also came with a $2,000 cash prize, meaning it was a very satisfying tournament for Sharma all in all.
Thailand
Although Thailand were ultimately swept aside with relative ease by India in their semi-final, the players can be extremely proud of themselves for their performances throughout the tournament. Not only was this the first time that a Thai women’s team got past the group stage of an Asia Cup, but it was also the first time they managed to claim a victory against Pakistan in the competition. That surprise result, alongside routine victories against Malaysia and the UAE, saw them squeak through into the semis in fourth place.
Renuka Singh
If Rodrigues and Sharma were chiefly responsible for getting India to the final, Renuka Singh can rightly lay claim to a standout performance in the match itself. She took a stunning three wickets in just three overs, allowing the hapless Sri Lankans only five runs in the process. That was enough to see her win Player of the Final and its $1,000 remuneration, which compounds a sparkling year for Singh in which she was the leading wicket taker at the Commonwealth Games in July.
As this list attests, India were the big winners from the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2022, with several of their stars having excellent tournaments. However, the progress made by Thailand is worthy of mention, as well.
