Pakistan, India reignite rivalry in Women’s World T20

A promising Pakistan side will take on high-flying India in a group league encounter on Sunday at the ICC Women’s World T20, currently being hosted in the West Indies.

Pakistan, after back-to-back victories in the warm-up fixtures leading up to the sixth edition of Women’s World T20, were beaten by Australia in their tournament opener. The world number one side made 165-5, beating Pakistan by 52 runs by limiting them to 113-8.

India kicked off their World Cup campaign with a formidable 34-run victory over New Zealand, as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur dominated the day with a 51-ball 103, featuring eight sixes.

In Twenty20 internationals, India Women have won eight encounters against Pakistan Women, but both the times they have lost have been in ICC Women’s World T20s.

In 2012 in Galle, India needed 14 in the last over bowled by Sana Mir, and lost by one run. Then, in 2016, in a rain-hit match in Delhi, Pakistan beat India by two runs on the DLS method.

Nida Dar, Pakistan’s Player of the Match in 2012, said on Friday, “These matches always have pressure, from the Indian side, the Pakistani side, from our families.

“We play the games with a different kind of passion, and it brings its own unique feeling. Compared to other matches, we play with double the emotion. We’re hoping for the best wishes of people back home.”

Pakistan and India will face off at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, today at 11.00am local time. 

Squads

Pakistan: Javeria Khan (c), Bismah Maroof, Aiman Anwer, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Muneeba Ali, Nahida Khan, Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Pervaiz, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sana Mir, Sidra Ameen, Sidra Nawaz

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Jemimah Rodrigues, Veda Krishnamurthy, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Anuja Patil, Ekta Bisht, D Hemalatha, Mansi Joshi, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy