Kuala Lumpur, June 9 : Six-time champions India once again stormed into the finals of the Women's Asia Cup after thrashing arch-rivals Pakistan by seven wickets in their last league encounter at the Kinrara Academy Oval here on Saturday.
Electing to bat, Pakistan folded up for a meagre 72/7 with Sana Mir (20 not out) and Nahida Khan (18) managing to reach the double figures in a lacklustre batting effort.
In response, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (34 not out) and her deputy Smriti Mandhana (38) steered the Indians to a comfortable victory with 23 balls to spare after starting on a shaky note.
Earlier, left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht spun a web around the Pakistanis with three wickets, and was well assisted by the other Indian bowlers who stuck to a disciplined effort.
During their chase, India too got off to a forgettable start, losing former skipper Mithali Raj and Deepti Sharma for ducks with the scoreboard ticking 5/2.
But thereafter the defending champions did not look back as the left-right combo of Smriti and Harmanpreet forged a brilliant 65-run third wicket stand to take the side within sniffing distance of victory.
Table toppers India (8 points) will now have to wait for the final league match between Bangladesh women and hosts Malaysia later in the day, to find their opponents for Sunday's summit clash.
On the other hand, second-placed Pakistan, with six points in their kitty will desperately hope for an upset by Malaysia over Bangladesh (also on 6 points) to bag a place in the final.
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New Delhi (PTI): In view of heightened security arrangements across the national capital, the Delhi Police had issued an advisory urging passengers to reach railway stations, metro stations, and the airport well in advance of their scheduled departures to avoid inconvenience, an official said on Thursday.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Transport Range) Milind Dumbre said that an advisory on Wednesday has been issued to ensure smooth security checks and facilitate timely boarding amid intensified security measures in and around major transport hubs of the city.
"Passengers are advised to reach the railway stations at least one hour before the scheduled departure of their trains, metro stations at least 20 minutes before the scheduled departure, and the airport at least three hours prior to their scheduled flights," Joint CP Dumbre said.
He added that the enhanced security deployment and thorough screening procedures have been put in place as part of precautionary measures.
"Security teams are conducting detailed checks of passengers, luggage, and vehicles entering these facilities. We urge all travellers to cooperate with the police and security personnel to ensure safety and smooth operations," he said.
Passengers' cooperation is solicited to maintain safety and ensure seamless travel arrangements, the Joint Commissioner added.
