In an impressive start to their Women’s Asia Cup 2024 campaign, the India women’s cricket team convincingly defeated Pakistan by seven wickets at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Friday. India’s comprehensive performance with both ball and bat set the tone for their tournament.
Opting to bat first, Pakistan struggled from the outset. Indian bowlers, led by Deepti Sharma, who claimed three wickets, and supported by Renuka Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, and Shreyanka Patil, each taking two wickets, dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup. The Pakistani openers, Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali, were dismissed early, leaving their team at 26-2 within the first 3.5 overs.
Sidra Amin tried to stabilize the innings with a patient 22 off 35 balls, but the consistent fall of wickets hampered any significant progress. Skipper Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz could not provide the necessary support, contributing only 8 and 6 runs respectively. Tuba Hassan’s quick 22 off 19 balls and a late surge from Fatima Sana, who scored 22 off 16 balls, managed to push Pakistan’s total to a modest 108 runs before being bowled out in 19.2 overs.
India’s chase was spearheaded by a strong opening partnership between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. The duo combined for a crucial 85-run stand, with Verma scoring 40 off 29 balls and Mandhana adding 45 off 31. This solid foundation ensured India remained on top throughout the chase.
Aroob Shah was the standout bowler for Pakistan, claiming the wickets of both openers and Dayalan Hemalatha (14 off 11), but it was too little, too late. Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues then guided India home comfortably, reaching the target in just 14.1 overs.
– India: 109/3 in 14.1 overs (Smriti Mandhana 45, Shafali Verma 40; Syeda Aroob Shah 2/22)
– Pakistan: 108 all out in 19.2 overs (Sidra Amin 22, Tuba Hassan 22; Deepti Sharma 3/15, Renuka Singh 2/20, Pooja Vastrakar 2/18, Shreyanka Patil 2/19)
Playing XIs:
– India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Renuka Thakur Singh
– Pakistan: Sidra Ameen, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Iram Javed, Fatima Sana, Tuba Hassan, Sadia Iqbal, Nashra Sandhu, Syeda Aroob Shah
– July 21, Sunday — Pakistan vs Nepal
– July 23, Tuesday — Pakistan vs UAE
India’s decisive victory over Pakistan marks a strong start to their Women’s Asia Cup 2024 campaign, showcasing their prowess and setting a high standard for their upcoming matches.
