In their first match of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024, India’s women’s cricket team defeated Pakistan by seven wickets at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Sri Lanka, on Friday.
India showcased their batting prowess, comfortably chasing down the 109-run target in just 14.1 overs. Shafali Verma (40 off 29) and Smriti Mandhana (45 off 31) led the charge with an 85-run partnership before Aroob Shah dismissed Mandhana.
After losing the openers and Dayalan Hemalatha (14 off 11), skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues finished the job for India.
Opting to bat first, Pakistan struggled as they lost openers Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali early, leaving them at 26-2 in 3.5 overs. Sidra Amin tried to stabilize the innings but found little support, with Nida Dar (8 off 11) and Aliya Riaz (6 off 11) failing to add significant runs.
Amin scored 22 runs off 35 balls before getting out. Tuba Hassan contributed a quick 22 runs off 19 balls with three boundaries. Despite Pakistan’s efforts, India’s bowlers kept the pressure high. Fatima Sana’s late 22-run knockoff of 16 balls helped Pakistan reach 108 runs before being all out in 19.2 overs.
Deepti Sharma led India’s bowling attack with three wickets, while Renuka Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, and Shreyanka Patil each took two wickets, ensuring a comprehensive victory for India.
