India-W school Pakistan in lopsided Women’s Asia Cup encounter
In what was supposed to be an epic rivalry, India demolished Pakistan without any mercy in Dubai, completing their journey in the ACC Women’s Asia Cup group stages with three clinical wins out of three games.
Not only did India win the game but they left Pakistan in a very awkward position after registering a piece of history as well.
Winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first. Muneeba Ali (13) and Shawal Zulfiqar (14) did get a compact start despite the scoring rate being a slow one. The two added 27 runs for the opening stand from the first 4.3 overs before Shafali Verma cannoned through the gates of Muneeba.
The fall of Ali opened up the floodgates and the Indian bowlers poured through like famished predators upon the prey. Sree Charani sent Gul Feroza (0) packing in the very next over while concluding that with the prized scalp of Zulfiqar. Charani was relentless as she hurt Pakistan again and this time with the wicket of Ayesha Zafar (2).
Things got worse for Pakistan with Prema Rawat joining the party next as she removed Sadaf Shams (3), forcing the Women in Green into a very tight corner at 35/5. The Indian bowlers and fielders simply doubled down on the charge as Bharti Fulmali’s gun throw caught Eyman Fatima (5) short of her crease. India mopped up the remainder of Pakistan’s resistance without breaking a sweat as they were bundled out for their lowest-ever total in women’s T20I cricket at 55.
Sree Charani was the tip of India’s bowling spear with figures of 4-0-7-3 while Prema Rawat was next in line with numbers of 4-0-9-3. Deepti Sharma added two more wickets to her tally to underline India’s bowling domination.
Shafali Verma (12) got off to a solid start but trying to be over-aggressive, she played it straight back to Fatima Sana. Pratika Rawal (3) failed to fire again as she lost her shape against Sana too. It was Sana who struck again to remove Smriti Mandhana (9) as well. However, Harmanpreet Kaur (18*) and Deepti Sharma (12*) saw off the rest of the line comfortably.
India won the game by seven wickets, completing their journey in the group stages with three wins from three games and a NRR of 5.471. Sree Charani was the Player of the Match for her incredible spell of 3/7.
