Indian women's cricket team celebrating their victory against Pakistan in the 2024 Asia Cup.

Women’s Asia Cup 2024 : Bowlers has helped India Women to secure a victory against Pakistan Women

India delivered a clinical bowling performance.

Pakistan scored 108 all out in 19.2 overs, where as India scored 109/3 in 14.1 overs.

So, finally India beat Pakistan by 7 wickets.

India underscored their favorite status with a clinical seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in their 2024 Asia Cup opener on Friday in Dambulla.

A disciplined bowling performance, led by Player of the Match Deepti Sharma’s 3-20, restricted Pakistan to just 108 despite a late counterattack.

Rapid 40s from openers Smriti Mandhana (45 off 31) and Shafali Verma (40 off 29) ensured a swift chase, launching India’s title defense with a statement win.

The Difference: Power Play Intent

Recognizing a dry, batting-friendly track, Nida Dar chose to bat first in this high-stakes game, but Pakistan’s top-order struggled under the early strikes from Pooja Vastrakar.

In contrast, India’s openers demonstrated the intent both captains noted at the toss.

Verma and Mandhana scored at 9.5 runs per over in the first six overs, while Pakistan managed only one double-digit over throughout their Power Play, as India’s pacers exerted pressure from both ends in windy conditions.

Pakistan

Vastrakar removes openers cheaply

Power Play: 37/2 [RR: 6.16, 4s: 6]

Continuing her rich vein of form, Pooja Vastrakar struck in both her powerplay overs to dismiss Pakistan’s openers before they could inflict much damage, effectively using the short ball.

Despite being greeted with a four by Gull Feroza, Vastrakar followed up with another short delivery that induced a pull shot, resulting in a mid-on catch off the batter’s toe end.

Mubeena Ali attempted an upper cut on a short ball, only to top-edge it over covers, perishing for a run-a-ball 11.

If not for a few boundaries in the 3rd and 6th overs by Renuka Thakur and Deepti Sharma, Pakistan would have fared even worse in the powerplay after opting to bat first.

Spinners, Renuka keep Pakistan in check

Middle overs: 44/4 [RR: 4.89, 4s: 4]

From there on, the spinners took control, with Patil striking in her first over to maintain India’s strong start.

A tossed-up off-break had the big-hitting Aliya Riaz half-heartedly flicking, resulting in a leading edge caught at midwicket by Rodrigues.

With Harmanpreet Kaur bowling spin in tandem, Pakistan crawled to 53/3 at the halfway mark.

A miserly four-run over from Vastrakar upon her return added pressure, causing the Pakistan skipper to cave.

Dar, charging at Deepti, mistimed a loft to give long-on a regulation catch.

Thakur redeemed herself in her final over, dismissing the other set batter, Sidra Ameen, and trapping Iram Javed LBW with successive deliveries.

Offies curb late counterattack

Death overs: 27/4 [RR: 6.24, 4s/6s: 1/2]

Tuba Hassan (19-ball 22) and Fatima Sana (16-ball 22*) put together Pakistan’s best partnership of the day, worth 31 runs.

Tuba aggressively collected boundaries off Deepti, Vastrakar, and Shreyanka in successive overs before edging a slice to backward point off Deepti.

Syeda Ayoob was run-out two balls later, and Nashra Sandhu nicked behind for a first-ball duck, leaving Pakistan at 94/9 by the 18th over.

Radha Yadav bore the brunt of Fatima’s counterattack, conceding a couple of sixes, but Patil cleaned up her last-wicket partner to bowl Pakistan out for 108 with four balls to spare.

India

Verma leads India’s blistering start

Power Play: 57/0 [RR: 9.5, 4s/6s: 10/1]

Pakistan opened with spin, but Shafali Verma quickly punished Sadia Iqbal.

Flicking a delivery on the pads, pulling short ones to midwicket, and expertly cutting through covers, Verma set the tone.

Dar brought herself on to break the partnership, but both Verma and Mandhana hit boundaries to maintain India’s brisk scoring.

Fatima Sana managed to beat Verma’s push with an away-going delivery, but Verma dispatched overpitched deliveries on either side to the fence.

Dar introduced more spin with Tuba Hasan, but Mandhana welcomed her with back-to-back boundaries before Verma slogswept one for six, racing India to 57 in their powerplay.

Mandhana puts India on the brink

Middle overs: 52/3 [RR: 6.36, 4s: 8]

Nashra Sandhu provided momentary relief with a one-run over post powerplay, but Mandhana’s assault on Tuba effectively ended Pakistan’s hopes.

After scoring 9 off Tuba in the previous over, Mandhana hit five boundaries in her next, marching into the 40s and overtaking Verma.

Both openers fell to Syeda Aroob while looking to finish early—Mandhana caught after a 31-ball 45 and Verma bowled through the gate.

Despite these wickets, D Hemalatha maintained the tempo, hitting a hat-trick of boundaries off Sandhu.

Though Sandhu took revenge in her final over, India needed only eight more runs and completed the formalities on the first ball of the 15th over.

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