Against a disheveled Pakistan attempting to establish rhythm and balance in a Women’s World Cup match amid ongoing geopolitical tensions between the two hostile neighbors, India will be the overwhelming favorite in a match that is more emotional than it is cricket-wise in Colombo.
Though the record indicates little suspense regarding the outcome, it’s time for the women to take the stage after three Sundays of India-Pakistan men’s Asia Cup matches.
India and Pakistan have participated in 27 different formats of women’s international matches. India leads 24-3, and Pakistan has only won three times in Twenty20 cricket.
India has won all 11 of the two teams’ meetings in ODIs, giving them a perfect record. The two sides had somewhat different starts to their World Cup campaigns. Sri Lanka lost to hosts India by 59 runs.
Pakistan, on the other hand, lost badly to Bangladesh, falling by seven wickets in a match where they were unable to handle pace and spin.
After each team has played one game, India is now in fourth place. The chance to increase their net run rate, which becomes vital towards the end of the competition, will be sought after by the Women in Blue.
Harmanpreet Kaur and his team will be very confident going into the match. Despite facing defeat at 124 for 6, the lower middle order stepped up to the plate and set a target of 250 or more in 47 overs, showcasing the depth of the squad.
Despite the slip-up against Sri Lanka, India’s batting is still their strongest suit; however, against teams with superior bowling units, hitters must apply themselves more effectively.
India may be tempted to start frontline bowler Renuka Singh, who recovered from injury in the series against Australia last month, because the Colombo pitch provided much of seam movement early in the Bangladesh-Pakistan match. Despite this, she appeared to lack rhythm during Friday’s workout.
However, Pakistan’s primary issue is their batting, which struggled in the first game. The team failed to form partnerships and lost wickets in quick succession, including a hit-wicket dismissal.
Diana Baig and Fatima Sana, two bowlers, were given too little to defend despite their controlled outings. Playing all of their games at the same venue should help Pakistan, but they will need to make a huge comeback to contend for a favorable outcome against a formidable Indian team.
Outside of cricket, there is more suspense in the match. The days of Indian players having fun with the daughter of former Pakistani captain Bismah Maroof during the 2022 World Cup are long gone.
Given the tense relations between the two nations, the Indian players are also anticipated to forego the traditional handshake with their Pakistani counterparts on Sunday, following the lead of the men’s team at the Asia Cup.
Squads:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud
Pakistan: Fatima Sana (captain), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (vice-captain), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Aroob Shah
