In a highly anticipated clash between India Women and Pakistan Women at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, India secured a commanding victory by 6 wickets, chasing down a target of 106 in just 18.5 overs. The match, held at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, saw strong performances from both teams, but India proved to be superior in both bowling and batting, with a notable contribution from Arundhati Reddy, who was named Player of the Match for her all-round bowling display.
Pakistan Women Batting:
Pakistan Women batted first and posted a modest total of 105/8 in their allotted 20 overs. They struggled to build any significant partnerships throughout the innings, with wickets falling at regular intervals.
- Top Performers:
- Nida Dar stood out for Pakistan with her 28 off 34 balls, striking one boundary during her stay at the crease. She tried to stabilize the innings but received little support from the other end.
- Fatima Sana Khan, the captain, played an aggressive knock, scoring 13 off just 8 balls with two boundaries, but her innings was cut short, leaving the team in further trouble.
Other batters, including Muneeba Ali Siddiqi (17 off 26 balls) and Syeda Aroob Shah (14 off 17), contributed but were unable to push the total beyond 105, which was always going to be difficult to defend.
India Women Bowling:
India’s bowling attack was disciplined and economical, with the bowlers exploiting the conditions effectively.
- Arundhati Reddy was the star with the ball, finishing with figures of 3/19 in her 4 overs, taking crucial wickets, including that of Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz, which dented Pakistan’s momentum.
- Shreyanka Patil was also impressive, taking 2/12 in her 4 overs, ensuring that Pakistan never really got going.
- Renuka Singh Thakur and Asha Sobhana picked up one wicket each, further tightening the screws on Pakistan’s batters.
India Women Batting:
India’s chase was clinical despite losing a few wickets along the way. They achieved the target of 106 in 18.5 overs, scoring 108/4.
- Top Performers:
- Shafali Verma provided a solid start at the top of the order, scoring 32 off 35 balls, including three boundaries, setting the foundation for India’s chase.
- Harmanpreet Kaur, the Indian captain, played a crucial knock, scoring 29 off 24 balls with one boundary, maintaining a strike rate of 120.83 to anchor the innings.
- Jemimah Rodrigues contributed 23 off 28 balls, helping build crucial partnerships with the top-order batters.
India’s batting depth ensured they reached the target with relative ease, despite a mini-collapse that saw them go from 80/2 to 80/4 at one point.
Pakistan Women Bowling:
Despite defending a small total, Pakistan’s bowlers tried their best but couldn’t contain the Indian batters for long.
- Fatima Sana Khan and Sadia Iqbal took one wicket each, but their economy rates hovered around 5.75, not enough to create pressure.
- Nashra Sundhu was economical, conceding just 21 runs in her 4 overs, but she couldn’t pick up a wicket.
- Nida Dar, who was expected to deliver, ended wicketless, and India capitalized on her inability to make breakthroughs.
Fall of Wickets:
For Pakistan:
- Gull Feroza – 1/1 (1 over)
- Sidra Amin – 25/2 (4.5 overs)
- Omaima Sohail – 33/3 (6.5 overs)
- Muneeba Ali Siddiqi – 41/4 (9.3 overs)
- Aliya Riaz – 52/5 (12.1 overs)
- Fatima Sana Khan – 70/6 (14 overs)
- Tuba Hassan – 71/7 (14.5 overs)
- Nida Dar – 99/8 (19.4 overs)
For India:
- Smriti Mandhana – 18/1 (4.3 overs)
- Shafali Verma – 61/2 (11.5 overs)
- Jemimah Rodrigues – 80/3 (15.2 overs)
- Richa Ghosh – 80/4 (15.3 overs)
Top Batting Performances:
For India, Shafali Verma’s knock was crucial, as it laid a solid foundation for India to chase the modest target. Her 32 runs off 35 balls ensured India didn’t panic at the start of the innings. Harmanpreet Kaur‘s 29 off 24 was equally significant, as her aggressive approach helped India maintain the required run rate.
For Pakistan, Nida Dar’s 28 off 34 was the highest score, but she was unable to accelerate when it was most needed. Muneeba Ali Siddiqi and Syeda Aroob Shah also showed some resistance but lacked enough firepower to push the total higher.
Top Bowling Performances:
Arundhati Reddy‘s 3/19 from 4 overs was the standout performance of the match. Her clever bowling and ability to take key wickets broke the backbone of Pakistan’s batting. Shreyanka Patil supported her brilliantly with 2/12, applying pressure from the other end and restricting Pakistan’s scoring opportunities.
Player of the Match – Arundhati Reddy:
Arundhati Reddy was named the Player of the Match for her brilliant all-round bowling performance. She bowled with control and consistency, taking three crucial wickets, including the dangerous Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz. Her economical spell ensured Pakistan could never post a challenging total, and her figures of 4-0-19-3 were instrumental in India’s win.
