India starts campaign with a clinical win over Pakistan

India Women skipper Harmanpreet Kaur with other skippers of participating nations poses for photographs ahead of the Women’s Asia Cup T20 tournament, in Dambulla, Sri Lanka.
| Photo Credit: PTI

After Deepti & Co. restrict Nida’s side to a meagre 108, openers Smriti and Shafali put on an aggressive partnership of 85 as the Women in Blue romp home with seven wickets and 35 balls to spare.

Asia Cup

India started its Women’s T20 Asia Cup title defence on a rousing note, beating Pakistan by seven wickets here on Friday.

India bundled out Pakistan for a below-par 108, after being asked to bowl, and then chased down the target with as many as 35 balls remaining.

Chasing 109, Indian openers Shafali Verma (40) and Smriti Mandhana (45) was at their best as they toyed with the Pakistani attack with an aggressive display of batting.

Boundaries galore

The duo hit two fours and a six off Tuba Hassan to collect 15 runs in the sixth over and the seventh over, bowled by Nashra Sandhu, yielded 21 runs with Smriti hitting the bowler for five boundaries.

Pakistan tasted success in the 10th over when Smriti was dismissed by Syeda Aroob Shah and Shafali departed in the 12th over. But the damage had already been done.

Though Hemalatha didn’t last long, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues took home the Indians in the 15th over.

Earlier, the Indian bowlers, led by the experienced off-spinner Deepti Sharma (three for 20), dished out a fine effort.

Two in an over

Pacer Pooja Vastrakar struck in the second over when she dismissed Gull Feroza, caught by Harmanpreet at mid-on.

Pooja then removed the other opener Muneeba Ali with a short-pitched delivery to leave Pakistan at 26 for two after the fourth over. Off-spinner Shreyanka Patil packed off Aliya Riaz as the Pakistani batters continued to struggle.

Regular wickets

The Indian bowlers continued to pick up wickets at regular intervals and the next to depart was Pakistan skipper Nida Dar who holed out to Hemalatha, off Deepti, as the batter went for a heave over the straight boundary.

Pacer Renuka Singh struck twice with the last two deliveries of her spell, scalping Sidra Amin and Iram Javed off successive deliveries, to leave Pakistan struggling at 61 for six in 13 overs.

Tuba and Fatima Sana revived the innings with a 31-run stand before the former was caught by Radha Yadav at backward point off Deepti in the 18th over, an over which also Syeda being run out and Nashra becoming Deepti’s third wicket.

Fatima hammered left-arm spinner Radha for two sixes in the 19th over to take Pakistan over the 100-run mark.