India’s women’s cricket team will be looking to bounce back from their opening defeat to New Zealand Women when they face off against Pakistan Women in their second match of the T20 World Cup 2024. The match is scheduled to take place at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, promising a thrilling encounter between two of the region’s cricketing powerhouses.
Led by the experienced Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian team will be eager to put on a stronger batting display against a confident Pakistan side, buoyed by their opening win over Sri Lanka. India has a strong head-to-head record against Pakistan, boasting 12 wins in 15 matches between the two sides. In T20 World Cup history, India has emerged victorious in five out of seven matches against their neighbors.
The last time these two teams met was during the Asia Cup T20 held earlier this year in Sri Lanka. India emerged victorious in that encounter, largely due to a stellar performance by Deepti Sharma, who claimed three wickets to restrict Pakistan to a modest total of 108. A strong opening stand between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana quickly set the tone for India’s chase, as the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side comfortably reached the target in 14.1 overs.
Syeda Shah, the Pakistani bowler, managed to dismiss both openers before they could reach their fifties, but the captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Jemimah Rodrigues ensured a comfortable win for India.
The previous encounter between the two nations occurred in last year’s edition of the tournament in South Africa. Pakistan’s captain, Bismah Maroof, delivered a stunning performance, scoring a brilliant 68 runs off 55 balls to anchor her team’s innings. Ayesha Naseem also contributed significantly with a quick-fire 43 runs, helping Pakistan to set a target of 149/4 at the end of their 20 overs. Despite the absence of Smriti Mandhana, the Indian batting order executed a well-paced chase, securing victory with an over to spare. Jemimah Rodrigues led the charge with a 38-ball 53, while Shafali and Richa also played crucial roles in the successful chase.
This encounter is expected to be a captivating battle between two strong teams, and cricket fans worldwide will be glued to their screens to witness the action unfold.
