After setting Nepal a 121-run target, India skittled the team out for a mere 21 runs to register a thumping 99 runs victory. While the quicks claimed four wickets, the spinners accounted for the rest.
Having qualified for the final, India went into the game without the likes of Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Sushma Verma, Smriti Mandhana and returned with their names etched in the record books.
Shikha Pandey gave India their first breakthrough by capturing the wicket of Sita Magar while Mansi Joshi followed up with the wicket of Joyti Pandey to reduce Nepal to nine for two. In the next over, S Meghana claimed Roshni Bohara with just a run added to the score line.
With Nepal on 10, Meghana bowled Neera Raljopadhyay while Nary Thapa’s stumps were rattled by Ekta Bisht in the following over. Spinners – Poonam Yadav and Anuja Patil - then wrapped up the lower half of the lineup for 11 runs as they bowled India to victory.
Earlier, asked to bat, Meghana and VR Vanitha opened the batting for India and posted 20 runs on the board when the former was bowled by Rubina Chhetry. She also accounted for Vanitha nine runs later.
Patil and Nuzhat Parween then added 32 runs for the third wicket until the former was sent back by Magar for 16. A run later, the wicketkeeper-batswoman followed her back to the pavilion. Joshi was the next to be sent back by Karuna Bhandari for five. With the lower-order being given an opportunity to bat, Pandey (39* off 32) too was promoted up the order ahead of Harmanpreet (14* off 16).
The two then added 51 runs in an unbroken stand to help India get to 120 runs.
