India Triumph Over Pakistan by 6 Wickets in T20 Women Clash

India Triumph Over Pakistan by 6 Wickets in T20 Women Clash

India women cricket team secured a commanding victory over Pakistan by six wickets in their crucial Group A encounter of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Chasing a modest target of 106 set by Pakistan, India comfortably reached the total with the loss of four wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan, having won the toss and opting to bat first, struggled from the start against India’s disciplined bowling attack. Renuka Singh set the tone by clean bowling Gull Feroza in the first over, putting Pakistan on the back foot early. Deepti Sharma followed up by removing Sidra Amin (8 off 11), leaving Pakistan at 29/2 after the powerplay.

Despite a shaky start, Muneeba Ali (17) and Nida Dar (28) tried to stabilize Pakistan’s innings. Dar, in particular, provided some resistance, hitting two boundaries late in the innings to boost the total. Syeda Aroob Shah also chipped in with an unbeaten 14 from 17 balls. However, Pakistan could only muster 105/8 by the end of their 20 overs, with Arundhati Reddy (3/19) and Shreyanka Patil (2/12) playing key roles in restricting their opponents.

India’s chase began steadily, but they lost Smriti Mandhana early, bowled by Sadia Iqbal for just 7 off 16 balls. Shafali Verma (32 off 35) and Jemimah Rodrigues (20*) built a solid partnership to keep India on track. Verma’s aggressive approach after the drinks break saw her take on the Pakistan bowlers, but she eventually perished, falling to an attacking shot.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur (13) joined Rodrigues to guide the team closer to the target. The duo ensured no further drama as they chased down the remaining runs with relative ease, securing a six-wicket victory with 11 balls to spare.

This win was vital for India, who were coming off a defeat to New Zealand in their opening match. Pakistan, on the other hand, had entered the match with confidence after a stunning win against Sri Lanka but couldn’t replicate that performance against India.

The match once again highlighted the fierce rivalry between the two teams, with India now holding a 13-3 advantage over Pakistan in T20I history. As the tournament progresses, both teams will look to build momentum, but for now, India takes the bragging rights in this World Cup clash.

Playing XIs: India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sajeevan Sajana, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh

Pakistan: Muneeba Ali, Gull Feroza, Sidra Amina, Omaima Sohail, Nida Dar, Tuba Hassan, Fatima Sana (c), Aliya Riaz, Syeda Aroob Shah, Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal