The India women’s cricket team secured a convincing victory over Pakistan by seven wickets in their opening match of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024, held at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Sri Lanka on Friday.
India showcased their dominance with both bat and ball, successfully chasing a modest target of 109 runs in just 14.1 overs. Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana set a solid foundation with a powerful 85-run partnership. Verma scored a brisk 40 off 29 balls, while Mandhana contributed 45 off 31 balls before being dismissed by Aroob Shah.
Despite losing their openers and Dayalan Hemalatha (14 off 11), Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues ensured there were no further hiccups, steering their team to victory with ease.
Earlier, opting to bat first, Pakistan struggled to find their rhythm. Openers Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali fell cheaply, leaving their team reeling at 26-2 within the first 3.5 overs. Sidra Amin attempted to stabilize the innings with a patient 22 off 35 balls but received little support from her teammates. Skipper Nida Dar (8 off 11) and Aliya Riaz (6 off 11) failed to make significant contributions.
Tuba Hassan provided a brief spark with a quick 22-run knock off 19 balls, including three boundaries, but the Indian bowlers maintained their stranglehold. Deepti Sharma led the bowling attack with three wickets, while Renuka Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, and Shreyanka Patil each took two wickets. Fatima Sana’s late cameo of 22 runs off 16 balls helped Pakistan reach 108 before being all out in 19.2 overs.
India’s playing XI featured: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, and Renuka Thakur Singh.
Pakistan’s playing XI included: Sidra Ameen, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Iram Javed, Fatima Sana, Tuba Hassan, Sadia Iqbal, Nashra Sandhu, and Syeda Aroob Shah.
Pakistan’s upcoming matches in the Women’s Asia Cup are against Nepal on July 21 and the UAE on July 23.
