In a crucial face-off at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 held in Dubai, India delivered an impressive all-round performance, overcoming Pakistan and boosting their prospects in the tournament.
Following their earlier defeat to New Zealand, Harmanpreet Kaur’s team needed a win, and they delivered precisely that against their neighbors, Pakistan, who struggled to find their rhythm at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The standout bowlers for India, Arundhati Reddy (3/19) and Shreyanka Patil (2/12), were instrumental in restricting Pakistan, despite Nida Dar’s top score of 28 off 34 balls.
Chasing a modest target of 106, India comfortably reached the goal, with Shafali Verma contributing a solid 32 from 35 deliveries, while Harmanpreet Kaur added 29 off 24 before retiring hurt, just shy of sealing the victory.
How India Clinched the Win
India approached their batting cautiously, making sure not to take unnecessary risks as they aimed to chase down the target of 106. Smriti Mandhana was the only wicket to fall during the powerplay, dismissed for 7 off 16 as Sadia Iqbal lured her into a mistimed shot.
However, Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues, promoted to the number three spot, established a stable foundation for India after the bowlers limited Pakistan to 105/8. Verma showed intent to accelerate post the drinks break, but her aggressive play led to her dismissal at 32 from 35, after she had laid the groundwork for a successful chase.
Key Contributions and Late Drama
Harmanpreet Kaur joined Rodrigues on the field, ensuring India maintained their momentum. However, Pakistan’s captain, Fatima Sana, briefly reignited her team’s hopes by claiming two quick wickets, dismissing Rodrigues (23 from 28) and Richa Ghosh (0 from 1) in consecutive deliveries.
A tense moment emerged when Kaur appeared to injure herself while avoiding a stumping attempt, forcing her to retire hurt on 29* off 24 balls. Despite this setback, India secured victory with seven balls remaining, as new batter Sajeevan Sajana found the boundary on her first delivery.
A Look Back at Pakistan’s Innings
Earlier in the match, Pakistan opted to bat first after winning the toss, cheered on by a lively crowd at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Both teams made one change each from their previous matches, with Pakistan’s Diana Baig being replaced by Aroob Shah due to ongoing treatment, while India swapped Pooja Vastrakar for Sajeevan Sajana, adding depth to their batting.
India dominated early, with Renuka Singh striking in the opening over to dismiss Gull Feroza without scoring. Deepti Sharma then cleaned up Sidra Amin (8/11) during the powerplay, leaving Pakistan struggling at 29/2 after six overs, with only Muneeba Ali looking somewhat comfortable at the crease.
Omaima Sohail’s brief innings ended at 3 off 6 when she was caught by Arundhati Reddy, and Muneeba Ali (17 from 26) was also stumped off Shreyanka Patil as she attempted to accelerate the scoring.
Pakistan's Middle-Order Push
The entry of Pakistan’s captain at number seven brought a brief surge, with her striking two boundaries in a promising 13 off 8 balls before being caught brilliantly by Ghosh off Asha Sobhana’s delivery. Nevertheless, contributions from Nida Dar (28 off 24) and Syeda Aroob Shah (14* off 17) helped Pakistan reach a competitive total.
Contrasting Forms Coming into the Match
Both teams entered the game with different forms; Pakistan, inspired by Fatima Sana’s efforts, had previously pulled off an upset against Asian champions Sri Lanka. On the other hand, India, led by Kaur, was keen to recover from their 58-run loss at the hands of New Zealand. Historically, India has held a strong 12-3 advantage over Pakistan in T20 matches, with their last encounter in the 2023 T20 World Cup seeing Jemimah Rodrigues’ unbeaten 53 guiding India to a seven-wicket victory.
Conclusion
While the victory was essential for India, there were concerns about the pace of their run chase, especially with net run rate likely to play a significant role in Group A’s standings. The inclusion of Sajeevan Sajana, which bolstered India’s batting lineup, should have provided the top order with more assurance, prompting some in the dugout to suggest a faster approach in the chase’s latter stages. Nevertheless, this win keeps India firmly in the race, with key games against Sri Lanka and Australia on the horizon.
For Pakistan, there will be disappointment over their performance as they look forward to challenging fixtures against Australia and New Zealand. Fatima Sana’s role will be critical as she continues to make impactful cameos, although her position at number seven raises questions. Despite bowling her full quota and finishing with 2/23, Pakistan needs to improve their overall team effort.
India’s triumph now means both teams are tied at two points each in Group A, but India extends their head-to-head lead over Pakistan to 13-3 in T20 matches.
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