Image credit: BCCI WomenOn a day when star batter and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana suffered a rare failure, Shafali Varma and Deepti Sharma produced fine allround performances and played stellar roles in India’s comfortable 40-run win over Bangladesh in the first semifinal of the Women’s Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday night.Capitalising on three dropped chances and one runout reprieve, Shafali smashed a 40-ball 64, studded with seven fours and three sixes. She also conceded just 25 runs in her four overs.The experienced Deepti took three for 26 in four overs, apart from chipping in with a cameo of 13 off six balls with the bat, hitting one six and one four.Struggling to force the pace on a slow wicket that offered generous turn and bounce to Bangladesh’s spinners, India finished at 149 for six in 20 overs.However, India’s bowlers, particularly their spinners, were even more menacing on a wicket where stroke-making wasn’t easy, restricting a sedate Bangladesh to 109 for seven in 20 overs.Apart from Deepti, seamer Nandini Sharma, who took two for 10 in two overs, was also among the wickets.Keen to clinch their eighth Women’s Asia Cup title, India will now await the winner of the second semifinal between Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Sunday’s final.Dilara Akter, who made 21 off 26 balls with four boundaries, was brilliantly caught at deep mid-wicket by Kranti Gaud, who sprinted and dived to complete the catch off Deepti in the eighth over.Brief scores: India 149/6 (S Verma 64) bt Bangladesh 109/7 (D Sharma 3/26) by 40 runs