In the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana emphasized the importance of the upcoming games, highlighting that all matches are critical for the Women in Blue as they face strong competition in Group A, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. India is set to face Sri Lanka next at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, with a key match against Australia scheduled for October 13 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
“As a player all games are important to us, when you come to the world cup you have to give 100 percent in each game, Sri Lanka is a good team in our group. But With Australia you know that you can’t make errors and minimize them, and you have to get the best game out on that particular day to get the better of them. So, yeah there is excitement to do that on that day because they are a really good team so to come up against them and beat them,” Mandhana quoted.
Reflecting on India’s current standing, after one win and a loss in their opening match against New Zealand, the Indian team is positioned fourth in the group points table. The team has been focusing on improvement, particularly in their fielding, as costly errors in this department have been noted in their matches.
In their match against Pakistan, India showcased a dominant performance. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, setting a modest target of 105/8 in their 20 overs. Nida Dar and Muneeba Ali were the top contributors for Pakistan. However, the Indian bowling attack, led by Arundhati Reddy, restricted the opposition well. Reddy took three crucial wickets in her four-over spell with an economy rate of 4.80. Other Indian bowlers also chipped in with wickets, collectively putting pressure on the Pakistani batters.
Despite a strong bowling performance, India’s fielding was subpar, with several dropped catches, which was a concern for the team. However, India’s batting lineup rose to the occasion. Openers Shafali Verma and captain Harmanpreet Kaur guided India during the chase, with Kaur hitting important boundaries. Kaur’s innings ended abruptly due to a neck injury in the 19th over, leaving her unable to finish the match. S Sajana replaced her and finished the job, scoring the winning runs with a boundary.
India clinched a six-wicket victory over Pakistan, with Arundhati Reddy being named Player of the Match for her exceptional bowling performance. This win bolstered India’s position in the tournament as they aim to make further strides with the upcoming crucial matches.
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