India Triumphs Over Pakistan in Women’s T20 World Cup Match

On Sunday, the Indian women’s cricket team achieved a significant victory over Pakistan, securing their first win in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup 2024. The fiercely contested match took place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and saw India triumph by six wickets against their arch-rivals.

Pakistan, having won the toss, opted to bat first. They managed to score 105 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Nida Dar was the top scorer for Pakistan with a 28-run contribution. Despite her efforts, no other Pakistani batter managed to cross the 20-run mark, leaving the team with a modest total. Arundhati Reddy was the standout performer with the ball for India, claiming three wickets for 19 runs. Shreyanka Patil also impressed with two wickets, while Renuka Singh, Deepti Sharma, and Asha Shobana took a wicket each.

The Indian team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, began their chase carefully. Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana initiated the innings, but India lost Mandhana early for just seven runs. Shafali Verma was the top scorer for India, contributing 32 runs off 35 balls, showcasing her calm and steady batting in the chase.

Following Mandhana’s dismissal, Jemimah Rodrigues joined Shafali at the crease, adding a crucial partnership. Despite losing Shafali in the 12th over, Jemimah helped stabilize the innings with a 23-run knock. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur also played a pivotal role, scoring 29 runs before retiring hurt, which came just as India neared their target. Deepti Sharma and Sajeevan Sajna guided the team to victory, remaining unbeaten with seven and four runs respectively.

India achieved the target with 108 runs for four wickets in 18.5 overs. This win propels India to fourth place in Group A of the Women’s T20 World Cup standings, with two points and a net run rate of -1.217. Pakistan, despite the loss, remains in third place, tied on points with India but with a better net run rate of +0.555.

India’s next match is scheduled against Sri Lanka on October 9th at the same venue, offering the team an opportunity to build on this successful comeback after their initial loss to New Zealand in the tournament.