After their disappointing loss to New Zealand, the Indian women’s cricket team made a strong comeback against Pakistan in the Group A match of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium. Led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, India restricted Pakistan to a modest total of 105/8, thanks to a brilliant bowling performance by Arundhati Reddy, who claimed three wickets.
Pakistan’s batters struggled to find their rhythm against India’s disciplined bowling attack. However, the Indian fielders were guilty of some sloppy fielding, allowing Pakistan to score a few extra runs. Despite the fielding lapses, Richa Ghosh stood out with an exceptional catch to dismiss Fatima Sana off the bowling of Asha Shobhana. The catch was widely praised on social media, with many calling it “one of the greatest catches.”
Meanwhile, Diana Baig and Pooja Vastrakar were notable absentees from the playing XIs. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first, hoping to capitalize on the fresh pitch. India, on the other hand, entered the match with a negative net run rate after their heavy loss to New Zealand.
Pakistan’s decision to bat first backfired as they struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals. Arundhati Reddy was the pick of the Indian bowlers, taking 3/23 in her four overs. Deepti Sharma and Asha Shobhana also chipped in with two wickets each.
In response, India’s batters chased down the target with relative ease, reaching 106/2 in 17.2 overs. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma provided a solid start, while Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh finished the job with unbeaten knocks.
The victory was a much-needed boost for India, who had been under pressure after their loss to New Zealand. It also marked a significant milestone for the Dubai International Stadium, which hosted its 100th T20I match.
