Defending champions India began their 2024 Women's Asia Cup T20 tournament campaign with a clinical seven-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan in a Group A match in Dambulla on Friday. After Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat, India bowled them out for 108 in 19.2 overs.
In reply, Shafali Verma (40) and Smriti Mandhana (45) played vital knocks to guide the Women in Blue home with 35 balls to spare. It was an aggressive display of batting from both Indian openers, who mostly dealt in fours and sixes. In the sixth over, the duo hit two fours and a six off Tuba Hassan to collect 15 runs, followed by Mandhana hitting five boundaries in the seventh over bowled by Hassan, yielding 21 runs.
Pakistan finally tasted success in the 10th over when Mandhana was caught by Aliya Riaz at mid-wicket off the bowling of Syeda Aroob Shah. Shafali departed in the 12th over, but by then, the damage was already done. Dayalan Hemalatha (14) didn't last long, caught by Hassan off Nashra Sandhu. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues then ensured a comfortable win for the title holders.
Earlier, India dished out a fine bowling effort led by experienced off-spinner Deepti Sharma (3/20). India tasted their first success in the second over itself when pacer Pooja Vastrakar (2/31) dismissed Gull Feroza, caught by skipper Harmanpreet at mid-on. Vastrakar struck again, dismissing the other Pakistan opener Muneeba Ali with a short-pitched delivery, caught by Rodrigues at cover, reducing Pakistan to 26 for 2 after the fourth over.
The Indians didn't allow Pakistani batters to settle down as off-spinner Shreyanka Patil (2/14) packed off Riaz, caught by Rodrigues at mid-wicket. The Pakistani batsmen struggled to score runs and build partnerships as Indian bowlers continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals to derail their opponents. The next to depart was Pakistan skipper Nida Dar, who holed out to Hemalatha at long-on off Deepti's bowling.
Pacer Renuka Singh (2/14) struck twice in the last two deliveries of her spell, first accounting for Sidra Amin (25) and then trapping Iram Javed leg before, reducing Pakistan to 61 for 6 in 13 overs. Tuba Hassan (22) and Fatima Sana (22 not out) then stitched together a valuable 31-run stand for the seventh wicket. However, their partnership ended in the 18th over when Hassan was caught by Radha Yadav at backward point off Deepti.
The 18th over bowled by Deepti saw three dismissals — Hassan, Syeda Aroob Shah, and Nashra Sandhu. While Hassan and Sandhu fell to Deepti, Shah was run out, denying Deepti a hat-trick. Sana hammered left-arm spinner Radha for two sixes in the 19th over to take Pakistan over the 100-run mark.
