India Beat Pakistan to Get Off the Mark in the Women’s T20 World Cup

By Mohd Faisal Hakak On Oct 7, 2024

India narrowly avoided an upset on Sunday evening at the Dubai International Stadium, securing a six-wicket victory over Pakistan. This came just a day after their unexpected 58-run loss to New Zealand in the Women’s T20 World Cup opener at the same venue. The win kept India’s hopes of reaching the semifinals from Group A alive.

Winning the toss and batting first, Pakistan were restricted to 105-8 in their 20 overs. Arundhati Reddy delivered impressive figures of 3/19, while Shreyanka Patil picked up two wickets. Nida Dar was the top scorer for Pakistan with 28 off 34 balls. The Indian bowlers kept a disciplined line and length, restricting the Pakistan batters and taking wickets at crucial moments.

Chasing 106, India reached 108/4 in 18.5 overs, with Shafali Verma contributing 32 runs off 35 balls, including three fours. Jemimah Rodrigues also played a key role, scoring 23 off 28 balls. Harmanpreet Singh retired hurt after scoring a brisk 29 off 24 deliveries. She failed to attempt a late cut, resulting in a nasty fall, and was taken off the field with her eyes full of tears.

After the win, Smriti Mandhana provided an update on Harmanpreet’s injury, stating, “It’s too early to say anything; the medical team is assessing the situation. Hopefully, she is fine. Our bowling unit showed great discipline, and our fielding was strong as well. We could have started better with the bat, but we’ll take this win.” Mandana said.

(Regarding net run-rate) It was on our minds, but Shafali and I couldn’t find our timing, so we focused on not falling behind in the chase. Net run rate is definitely something we’re considering. This win gives us some momentum, and hopefully, we can carry it forward in the tournament.” she added.

Brief scores: Pakistan 105/8 in 20 overs (Nida Dar 28; Arundhati Reddy 3-19, Shreyanka Patil 2-12) lost to India 108/4 in 18.5 overs (Shafali Verma 32, Harmanpreet Kaur 29*; Fatima Sana 2-23) by 6 wickets.

India’s semifinal hopes remain alive after win over Pakistan

A dominant win could have elevated India to third place in the Group A standings, above Pakistan but still trailing defending champions Australia and New Zealand. However, their slow chase only slightly improved their net run rate to -1.217, which remains lower than Pakistan’s -0.555, leaving India in the fourth spot.

Women in Blue remain in contention for a semifinal spot, but another lackluster batting performance in their upcoming match against Sri Lanka on October 9 at the same venue could hinder their chances, even if they win. A narrow victory could push India into a must-win scenario against Australia in their final group match. However, a convincing win over Sri Lanka could boost their chances, especially with New Zealand likely to face a defeat against Australia on Tuesday.

Mohd Faisal Hakak

Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.