The big India vs Pakistan contest at the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024 will take place on the first day of the tournament – being played in Dambulla, Sri Lanka – itself. Here’s your ready reckoner for it.
Match details
India vs Pakistan
Dambulla, July 19, 7.00pm local time
India and Pakistan – recent form
Let’s look at the last year for this one.
India is listed alphabetically first. They have participated in 17 Twenty20 Internationals throughout this time, with a 10-5 win-loss record (two matches ending in a tie). They defeated Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the championship match to win the gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Following that, they lost back-to-back series against Australia and England at home, defeated Bangladesh 5-0 in Sylhet, and, most recently, their three-match series against South Africa in Chennai ended in a 1-1 draw when the second game was abandoned after just one innings.
In fact, Pakistan has played 19 completed T20I matches in the same period of time. However, they have only won seven of them and lost twelve. They hosted South Africa at home prior to the Asian Games and had an amazing outcome, winning 3-0. It wasn’t an exceptional Asian Games. As anticipated, they advanced to the semifinals but were defeated by Sri Lanka there before falling to Bangladesh in the bronze-medal playoff. Since then, they have lost a T20I series in Bangladesh, against the West Indies at home, and most recently, to a 3-0 sweep in England. The lone series victory came in a 2-1 victory in New Zealand towards the end of last year.
India vs Pakistan – head-to-head
Over the years, the two teams have played 14 matches, although there hasn’t been a bilateral series for unknown reasons. The only time a match took place in one of the two nations was in Delhi in 2016 during the T20 World Cup, where Pakistan defeated India by two runs in a game that was cut short by rain. However, Pakistan has only triumphed in three Twenty20 International matches against India. India has secured eleven victories.
India also has a significant advantage at the Asia Cup. Of the six games they have played against Pakistan, they have won five of them. The last Asia Cup, held in Sylhet in 2022, was the one that Pakistan did win, nevertheless.
Players to watch
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana make up a potent opening duo for India. Mandhana, who typically bats for a longer period of time, has amassed 3320 T20I runs with a strike rate of 121.83 and an average of 28.13. For Shafali, the comparable figures are 1748, 24.27, and 129.48. For oppositions, eliminating one of them immediately is frequently insufficient; eliminating both of them swiftly is necessary.
The standout player for Pakistan is captain Nida Dar, an all-around bowler who can be relied upon to score significant runs while taking wickets almost every time she bowls. Additionally, Sidra Amin has been hitting well lately; in eight innings this year, she has scored 205 runs.