In their opening match of the Women’s Asia Cup, the defending champions India showcased their dominance by securing a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Pakistan on July 19 in Dambulla. This triumph not only marked a strong start to their title defence but also set a high standard for the rest of the tournament.
The game began with India putting on a clinical bowling performance that saw them restrict Pakistan to a modest total of 108 runs. Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil were instrumental in dismantling the Pakistani batting lineup. Sharma, in particular, excelled, claiming three vital wickets for just 20 runs.
Opting to bowl first, India made immediate inroads into the Pakistani lineup. The second over saw pacer Pooja Vastrakar making a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Gull Feroza, caught by captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Vastrakar's momentum continued as she removed the other opener, Muneeba Ali, with a short delivery well-caught by Jemimah Rodrigues. Pakistan found themselves in trouble early on, struggling at 26 for 2 after just four overs.
The pressure from the Indian bowlers was relentless. Shreyanka Patil joined the attack and dismissed Aliya Riaz, with Rodrigues once again taking a catch at mid-wicket. Pakistan’s captain, Nida Dar, was dismissed by Sharma, caught by Dayalan Hemalatha after attempting an ambitious shot.
The wickets kept falling, with Renuka Singh adding to the misery by removing Sidra Amin and trapping Iram Javed leg before wicket in her final two deliveries. By the end of 13 overs, Pakistan was struggling at 61 for 6.
A brief resistance came from Tuba Hassan and Fatima Sana, who managed to put together a 31-run partnership for the seventh wicket. However, their efforts were in vain as Hassan was dismissed by Sharma in the 18th over.
The same over proved disastrous for Pakistan as Sharma claimed two more wickets, dismissing Syeda Aroob Shah and Nashra Sandhu. Despite Sana’s late attempt to boost the total with two sixes off left-arm spinner Radha Yadav in the 19th over, Pakistan could only manage to set a target of 108 runs.
In response, India’s chase was anchored by openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. They provided a solid foundation with an 85-run partnership off just 57 balls. Their innings began cautiously but soon gained momentum, particularly against Tuba Hassan.
Verma and Mandhana capitalised on the fielding restrictions during the powerplay, with the former hitting 15 runs off Hassan’s final over of the powerplay. Mandhana’s aggressive approach continued, taking five off Hassan’s second over for a quickfire 21 runs.
Despite a promising start, Mandhana fell short of a fifty, scoring 45 runs off 31 balls. Dayalan Hemalatha and Shafali Verma also fell after brief but impactful innings. Nevertheless, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues ensured a smooth finish, guiding India to victory with 35 balls to spare.
This commanding performance sets a positive tone for India’s campaign as they look forward to their next match against the UAE on July 21. The team’s strong showing, particularly in the bowling department, highlights their readiness to defend their title and perform well in the tournament.
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