Dambulla, July 19, 2024 — India began their Women’s Asia Cup title defense with an emphatic 7-wicket win over Pakistan in their tournament opener held in Dambulla on Friday. The Indian bowlers were in fine form, dismissing Pakistan for just 108 runs, while a solid partnership between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana ensured a comfortable chase.
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first, a decision that quickly backfired as their innings crumbled under pressure. Pooja Vastrakar struck early, removing both of Pakistan’s openers in quick succession. The early breakthrough left Pakistan reeling at 26 for 2 after just 4 overs.
Sidra Ameen tried to anchor the innings, but she found little support from Aliya Riaz and captain Nida Dar, who struggled to build any significant partnerships. Renuka Singh further dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup, dismissing Ameen and Javed in consecutive deliveries, leaving the team in a dire position at 61 for 6 by the 13th over.
Though Tuba Hassan and Fatima Sana attempted to stabilize the innings with a 31-run stand, their efforts proved insufficient. Deepti Sharma’s decisive 18th over saw her claim 2 wickets and contribute to a run-out, reducing Pakistan to 94 for 9. Sana added some late runs, pushing the score past 100, but Patil wrapped up the innings, dismissing Sana with just two balls remaining to end Pakistan’s innings at 108.
In reply, India’s chase was led by the dynamic duo of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, who set a solid foundation with a brisk 85-run partnership off 57 balls. Initially, the pair approached the chase with caution, but soon found their rhythm. They capitalized on the powerplay overs, with Shafali and Smriti relentlessly attacking the bowlers.
The duo maintained a steady run rate, taking 15 runs off Tuba Hassan in the final powerplay over to take India to 57 without loss. After a brief quiet period, Smriti Mandhana accelerated the scoring, hitting 5 boundaries in Tuba’s next over, which yielded 21 runs.
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