Cricket is more than just a sport in the Indian subcontinent—it’s a passion that unites millions. When the India Women’s National Cricket Team vs Pakistan Women’s National Cricket Team Match Scorecard, the excitement reaches a fever pitch. This article dives into the thrilling encounter between these two teams at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, held on October 6, 2024, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. We’ll break down the match scorecard, highlight key performances, and provide a detailed yet easy-to-read analysis that anyone can enjoy, whether you’re a cricket newbie or a seasoned fan. Let’s get started!
The Build-Up to the Match
The India Women’s National Cricket Team vs Pakistan Women’s National Cricket Team Match Scorecard rivalry is legendary, and while the men’s matches often grab the headlines, the women’s clashes are no less intense. India came into this match needing a win after a heavy 58-run defeat to New Zealand in their opening game, which left their net run rate (NRR) at a dismal -2.9. Pakistan, on the other hand, had momentum from a victory against Sri Lanka, sitting third in Group A. With only the top two teams advancing to the semifinals, India needed not just a win but a convincing one to boost their NRR and keep their tournament hopes alive.
The match was played on a dry, slow pitch at Dubai, which favored spinners and required batters to adjust their approach. Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first, setting the stage for a gripping contest.
Match Summary: India Women’s National Cricket Team vs Pakistan Women’s National Cricket Team Match Scorecard, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024
Before we dive into the detailed scorecard, here’s a quick snapshot of the match:
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Event: ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, 7th Match, Group A
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Date: October 6, 2024
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Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
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Toss: Pakistan Women won and chose to bat
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Result: India Women won by 6 wickets with 7 balls remaining
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Player of the Match: Arundhati Reddy (India) for her 3/19 in 4 overs
Pakistan posted a modest 105/8 in their 20 overs, which India chased down in 18.5 overs, finishing at 106/4. The victory moved India to fourth in Group A with an improved NRR of -1.217, while Pakistan remained in third with a positive NRR of +0.555.
Pakistan Women’s Innings: A Struggle for Momentum
Pakistan’s decision to bat first was bold, but their batting lineup struggled to find rhythm against a disciplined Indian bowling attack. Let’s break down their innings:
Pakistan Women’s Batting Scorecard
Batter |
Dismissal |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Muneeba Ali (wk) |
c Richa Ghosh b Renuka Singh |
17 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 65.38 |
Gull Feroza |
c Jemimah Rodrigues b Deepti Sharma |
5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 |
Sidra Amin |
c Richa Ghosh b Shreyanka Patil |
8 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
Omaima Sohail |
c Shafali Verma b Arundhati Reddy |
3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 |
Nida Dar |
c Richa Ghosh b Shreyanka Patil |
28 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 82.35 |
Aliya Riaz |
lbw b Arundhati Reddy |
4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
Fatima Sana (c) |
c & b Arundhati Reddy |
13 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 162.50 |
Tuba Hassan |
run out (Sajana Sajeevan/Richa Ghosh) |
0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Syeda Aroob Shah |
not out |
14 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 82.35 |
Nashra Sandhu |
not out |
6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 150.00 |
Extras |
(b 5, lb 1, w 3, nb 1) |
10 | ||||
Total |
105/8 (20 overs) |
Did Not Bat: Sadia Iqbal
Fall of Wickets
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9/1 (Gull Feroza, 1.4 ov)
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26/2 (Muneeba Ali, 5.5 ov)
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34/3 (Omaima Sohail, 7.3 ov)
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41/4 (Sidra Amin, 8.5 ov)
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50/5 (Aliya Riaz, 11.2 ov)
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65/6 (Fatima Sana, 13.3 ov)
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66/7 (Tuba Hassan, 14.3 ov)
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94/8 (Nida Dar, 18.4 ov)
India Women’s Bowling Performance
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Renuka Singh Thakur |
4 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 5.75 |
Deepti Sharma |
4 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 6.00 |
Asha Sobhana |
4 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 3.75 |
Shreyanka Patil |
4 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 4.75 |
Arundhati Reddy |
4 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 4.75 |
Key Moments in Pakistan’s Innings
Pakistan’s innings was a tale of early promise undone by regular wickets. Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza started cautiously, but Deepti Sharma struck in the second over, dismissing Feroza for 5. Muneeba tried to anchor the innings but fell to Renuka Singh for 17. The middle order, including Omaima Sohail and Sidra Amin, couldn’t build partnerships, with Arundhati Reddy and Shreyanka Patil applying relentless pressure.
Arundhati Reddy was the standout bowler, finishing with 3/19, including the crucial wickets of Omaima Sohail, Aliya Riaz, and Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, who briefly threatened with a quick 13 off 8 balls. Nida Dar’s 28 off 34 was the top score, but her slow strike rate reflected Pakistan’s struggle to rotate the strike. A late 28-run stand between Dar and Syeda Aroob Shah pushed Pakistan past 100, but 105/8 was always going to be a challenging total to defend on a pitch offering assistance to bowlers.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana later admitted they were 10-15 runs short, citing poor batting in the powerplay as a key factor.
India Women’s Innings: A Cautious Chase
Chasing 106 was never going to be a daunting task for India’s star-studded batting lineup, but they needed to finish the game quickly to improve their NRR. Here’s how the chase unfolded:
India Women’s Batting Scorecard
Batter |
Dismissal |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Smriti Mandhana |
c Aliya Riaz b Fatima Sana |
7 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 43.75 |
Shafali Verma |
c Muneeba Ali b Omaima Sohail |
32 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 91.43 |
Jemimah Rodrigues |
c Nashra Sandhu b Fatima Sana |
23 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 82.14 |
Harmanpreet Kaur (c) |
retired hurt |
29 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 120.83 |
Richa Ghosh (wk) |
lbw b Sadia Iqbal |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Deepti Sharma |
not out |
7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 87.50 |
Sajana Sajeevan |
not out |
4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
Extras |
(w 4) |
4 | ||||
Total |
106/4 (18.5 overs) |
Did Not Bat: Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh Thakur
Fall of Wickets
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16/1 (Smriti Mandhana, 4.1 ov)
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61/2 (Jemimah Rodrigues, 13.3 ov)
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78/3 (Richa Ghosh, 14.3 ov)
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101/4 (Shafali Verma, 18.2 ov)
Pakistan Women’s Bowling Performance
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sadia Iqbal |
4 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 5.00 |
Fatima Sana |
3.5 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 6.00 |
Nashra Sandhu |
4 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 5.25 |
Tuba Hassan |
3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 5.33 |
Syeda Aroob Shah |
2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 6.50 |
Omaima Sohail |
2 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 6.50 |
Key Moments in India’s Innings
India’s chase started cautiously, with Smriti Mandhana falling early for 7 to Fatima Sana. Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues then steadied the ship, reaching 50/1 by the 10th over. However, India’s approach was surprisingly timid, with only three boundaries in the entire innings. Shafali’s 32 off 35 included a rare aggressive moment when she hit a four over midwicket, but she fell to Omaima Sohail trying to accelerate.
Jemimah Rodrigues scored 23 off 28 but struggled to find gaps, and Richa Ghosh’s first-ball duck added a brief scare. Harmanpreet Kaur, batting at No. 4, played a composed 29 off 24 before retiring hurt due to a neck injury, raising concerns for India’s upcoming matches. Deepti Sharma and Sajana Sajeevan finished the job, with Sajana hitting the winning boundary in the 19th over.
Smriti Mandhana, standing in for Harmanpreet at the post-match presentation, noted that while they wanted to chase faster for NRR, the priority was securing the win without risking wickets.
Player of the Match: Arundhati Reddy’s Breakthrough Performance
Arundhati Reddy earned the Player of the Match award for her exceptional bowling. Her figures of 3/19 in 4 overs were pivotal in restricting Pakistan to 105/8. Reddy’s ability to mix her pace and hit the stumps troubled Pakistan’s batters, with key wickets including Omaima Sohail, Aliya Riaz, and Fatima Sana. She spoke about her focus on simplicity and adapting to the hot conditions, crediting her preparation for her success.
Analysis: What Worked and What Didn’t
India’s Strengths
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Bowling Discipline: India’s bowlers, led by Arundhati Reddy and Shreyanka Patil (2/19), maintained tight lines and exploited the slow pitch. Asha Sobhana’s economical spell (4-0-15-0) added pressure, while Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh chipped in with crucial wickets.
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Fielding Excellence: Catches by Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Shafali Verma, along with a sharp run-out by Sajana Sajeevan, showcased India’s sharpness in the field.
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Resilient Batting: Despite a slow chase, India’s batters ensured they crossed the line without major hiccups, even after losing key players like Mandhana and Ghosh.
India’s Areas for Improvement
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Batting Approach: India’s cautious chase, with only three boundaries, raised questions about their intent. They missed a chance to boost their NRR significantly, which could haunt them later in the tournament.
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Harmanpreet’s Injury: The captain’s neck injury is a concern, as India relies heavily on her experience and finishing ability.
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Powerplay Struggles: India’s powerplay batting was lackluster, with only 16 runs in the first four overs, a point of frustration highlighted by commentators.
Pakistan’s Strengths
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Bowling Effort: Despite defending a low total, Pakistan’s bowlers, especially Fatima Sana (2/23) and Sadia Iqbal (1/20), kept India under pressure with tight lines.
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Late Resistance: Nida Dar and Syeda Aroob Shah’s 28-run stand ensured Pakistan reached a respectable total, avoiding a collapse below 100.
Pakistan’s Areas for Improvement
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Batting Collapse: Pakistan’s top order failed to capitalize on the powerplay, losing wickets too quickly. Their inability to rotate the strike led to a below-par total.
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Lack of Partnerships: Apart from the late Dar-Shah stand, Pakistan struggled to build meaningful partnerships, with no batter able to dominate the Indian attack.
The Bigger Picture: Impact on the Tournament
India’s six-wicket win was crucial, but their slow chase meant their NRR only improved to -1.217. With tough matches against Sri Lanka and Australia looming, India needed to win big to stay in the semifinal race. Pakistan, despite the loss, remained competitive in Group A, with their positive NRR keeping them in contention.
The match also highlighted the growing competitiveness of women’s cricket in the subcontinent. While India holds a dominant 12-3 record against Pakistan in T20Is, Pakistan’s spirited performance showed their potential to challenge the favorites.
Why This Match Matters
For fans, an India Women’s National Cricket Team vs Pakistan Women’s National Cricket Team Match Scorecard is always special, regardless of the format. The Dubai crowd added to the electric atmosphere, and while India emerged victorious, Pakistan’s fight showed their progress. The match was a reminder of the importance of preparation, adaptability, and intent in high-stakes tournaments like the T20 World Cup.
Conclusion
The India Women’s National Cricket Team vs Pakistan Women’s National Cricket Team Match Scorecard at the 2024 T20 World Cup was a classic display of rivalry, skill, and strategy. India’s bowlers set the tone, and despite a cautious chase, they secured a vital win. Pakistan fought hard but fell short with the bat, leaving them with lessons to learn. Arundhati Reddy’s stellar performance and Harmanpreet Kaur’s injury were the talking points, setting the stage for an intriguing tournament ahead.
Whether you’re cheering for the Women in Blue or the Women in Green, this match was a celebration of women’s cricket. Stay tuned for more thrilling encounters as both teams aim for glory in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024!