Women’s Asia Cup 2024: India beats Pakistan by seven wickets to kick off title defence

India openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma made it look easy as they posted a 85-run partnership before Syeda Arooba Shah scalped Smriti in the 10th over.

The Indian batters made quick work of the chase after openers Smriti (45, 31b) and Shafali (40, 29b) all but confirmed the Women in Blue’s victory against Pakistan in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024. | Photo Credit: ACC

India opened its Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024 title defence on Friday with a seven-wicket win against Pakistan at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Sri Lanka.

Asked to field, India’s bowlers had a field day, restricting Pakistan to a paltry 108. Deepti Sharma was the pick of the pack with three wickets.

Pakistan’s nightmares began in the PowerPlay with a disciplined Pooja Vastrakar removing both openers. The spinners backed up the good work early on by choking the run flow in the middle overs.

As it happened | IND v PAK, Asia Cup 2024: Women in Blue cruise to 7-wicket win against Pakistan

A 31-run stand for the seventh wicket between Fatima Sana and Tuba Hassan briefly steadied the Pakistan innings. However, Deepti did well to remove a well-settled Tuba for 22 off 19 balls. She also got Nashra Sandhu in the same over for a golden duck.

With Pakistan struggling to get to a three-digit score, Fatima Sana’s late surge, two sixes off Radha Yadav, helped her side to 108. Shreyanka wrapped up the innings with Sadia Iqbal’s dismissal.

While the bowlers had plenty to be happy about, India once again had many blips in the field. Misfields from Radha, Shafali Verma, Renuka saw India concede avoidable boundaries and will remain a big area of work ahead of the World Cup.

Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana got off to a flying start, bringing up the team fifty within the PowerPlay. Smriti’s rich vein of form was in full display, particularly in the five boundaries she smacked Tuba for in the eighth over.

Off-spinner Syeda Aroob Shah gave Pakistan its first breakthrough, when Smriti holed out to Aliya Riaz off the very next over. A frustrated Aliya hurled the ball back to the ground after catching it, venting the frustration the whole team felt in the game.

Syeda’s best moment in the game when she cleaned up Shafali, the ball going through her attempt to middle the ball, leaving her stumps in disarray. Dayalan Hemalatha, who kept the scoring rate high, fell trying to race down the target. Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet took the team to a winning start.

India next plays UAE on Sunday, while Pakistan faces Nepal.