India secured a much-needed win against Pakistan in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, clinching a 6-wicket victory. While the triumph marked India’s first points in the tournament, questions remain about whether the team missed a golden chance to improve their net run rate (NRR), which could prove crucial in the later stages of the tournament.
India bowlers shine vs Pakistan
India’s bowlers laid the foundation for the win, delivering an impressive performance that restricted Pakistan to a modest total of 105 runs. Arundhati Reddy led the bowling attack with career-best figures of 3/19, while the rest of the Indian bowling unit chipped in with wickets at regular intervals. Pakistan’s batters struggled to find momentum throughout the innings, with Nida Dar top-scoring for her team with just 28 runs off 34 balls.
The disciplined Indian bowling effort ensured that Pakistan could never get going, and by the end of 20 overs, the target seemed well within India’s reach.
Shaky start by Indian Women’s Cricket Team
Despite the small target, India’s chase was not without its share of troubles. Losing star opener Smriti Mandhana early on, India found themselves on the back foot in the powerplay, managing just 25/1 in the first six overs. Shafali Varma, who initially struggled, switched gears and began to find her rhythm, playing at nearly a run-a-ball pace. Alongside her, Jemimah Rodrigues contributed with innovative shots, including sweeps and reverse sweeps.
However, India’s progress was slowed when Shafali holed out after a promising start, and Fatima Sana’s double strike in two balls left India in a precarious position. With wickets falling, it seemed India might squander a relatively straightforward chase.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s steady hand
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, known for her composure in crunch moments, anchored the innings from one end. Despite suffering an injury near the end of the chase, Harmanpreet’s experience ensured that there were no major scares as India inched towards the target. With just two runs required to seal the win, Harmanpreet left the field holding her neck, and S Sajana came out to finish the job.
India’s missed opportunity to boost NRR
While the victory brought relief to the Indian camp, their performance left some room for introspection. Given the low target, India had a prime opportunity to not just win but boost their NRR (especially after their crushing defeat vs New Zealand), which could play a pivotal role in their chances of advancing to the semifinals.
However, a cautious approach during the chase and the loss of key wickets meant that India huffed and puffed to the finish line, instead of a dominant victory that could have made a bigger impact on the points table.
Next steps for India Women’s Cricket Team
With their first win secured, India will now look ahead to their next group-stage fixtures. While the result against Pakistan was positive, Harmanpreet and her team will need to address the areas of concern, particularly their slow start in the powerplay and the inability to accelerate during the chase.
India’s bowling unit, however, will take confidence from their stellar performance and hope to carry that momentum forward. As the tournament progresses, India must sharpen their game, especially in high-stakes matches where every run and wicket could make the difference between advancing or crashing out of the competition.
In the end, India’s victory against Pakistan was a step in the right direction, but the team will be keenly aware that they need to elevate their performance to compete with the top sides in the tournament.
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