India women's team takes on Pakistan as Nida Dar won the toss and elected to bat first in their Women's Asia Cup 2024 opening clash at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on July 19.
What did the captains say?
After losing the toss, India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, said:
“For us anything was okay because the conditions are gonna be the same for the 40 overs. Every game is important for us and we want to get into rhythm from the first game. We have made 3 changes from the last T20I we played against South Africa".
Pakistan captain Nida Dar, after winning the toss, said:
“We will bat first, looks like a dry wicket. We have practiced and trained a lot in Karachi and we are well prepared for this contest. It is a great opportunity ahead of the T20 World Cup. We have a good combination and bowlers and batters and hoping for a good game.”
India Women's Playing XI:
Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Renuka Thakur Singh
Pakistan Women's Playing XI:
Sidra Ameen, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali(w), Nida Dar(c), Aliya Riaz, Iram Javed, Fatima Sana, Tuba Hassan, Sadia Iqbal, Nashra Sandhu, Syeda Aroob Shah
Their most recent meeting in T20 World Cups was a dominant performance by India at the 2023 edition in South Africa. Chasing a modest target of 150 in Cape Town, India secured a convincing win with 7 wickets remaining. This recent victory, coupled with India's strong showing in their 1-1 draw against South Africa in the T20I series leading into the Asia Cup, positions them as the clear favorites for the upcoming India-Pakistan clash.
Head-to-Head
The fiery rivalry between India and Pakistan extends to the women's game as well. Their first T20I encounter dates back to the 2009 ICC Women's World Twenty20 in Taunton, where India dominated, winning by a convincing margin of five wickets. Since then, the two teams have faced off 14 more times in T20Is, with India maintaining their upper hand. They've emerged victorious in 11 of those matches, while Pakistan has only managed to win 3. This winning record reflects the overall dominance India enjoys in women's T20 cricket.
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