Five memorable India-Pakistan women's T20 battles

Arch-rivals clash in a much-anticipated group match in Cape Town on Sunday

AFP

February 11, 2023

Pakistans Javeria Khan plays a shot watched by Indias wicket keeper Richa Ghosh (L) during the Round 1 Womens Cricket World cup match between India and Pakistan at Bay Oval in Tauranga. — AFP/File — Pakistan's Javeria Khan plays a shot watched by India's wicket keeper Richa Ghosh (L) during the Round 1 Women's Cricket World cup match between India and Pakistan at Bay Oval in Tauranga. — AFP/File

NEW DEHLI: Arch-rivals India and Pakistan clash on Sunday in a much-anticipated group match at the Women's Twenty20 World Cup in Cape Town.

AFP looks at five memorable T20 matches between the two cricket powerhouses:

Roy special

Indian spinner Priyanka Roy played a huge part in the team's first-ever T20 match against Pakistan with match-winning figures of 5-16 and three catches in the 2009 World Cup.

Indian spinner Priyanka Roy (left). — Espncricinfo/File

Roy's leg spin proved too hot to handle for the Pakistan batters who were dismissed for a paltry 75, a total India eclipsed with five wickets and 14 balls to spare.

Roy played just 15 T20 matches for India with her last game in 2011, but the bowling effort remained a highlight of her white-ball career.

Solid Raut

Top-order batter Punam Raut's gritty 25 made the difference for eventual winners India in 2012's low-scoring final of the Asia Cup in China.

Indian star cricketer Punam Rauf while batting. — Twitter/@raut_punam/File

A 32-run partnership between Raut and Harmanpreet Kaur, who made 20, guided India to 81 all out in 20 overs after Pakistan skipper Sana Mir returned figures of 4-13.

Indian right-hand batter Harmanpreet Kaur. — ICC/File

In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 63 in 19.1 to suffer their second loss to India in the tournament.

Mandhana power

Star batter Smriti Mandhana hammered a match-winning 63 not out in India's opening win against Pakistan at T20 cricket's 2022 Commonwealth Games debut.

India opener Smriti Mandhana while batting against New Zealand Womens cricket team. — Twitter/@ICC/File — India opener Smriti Mandhana while batting against New Zealand Women's cricket team. — Twitter/@ICC/File

India's bowlers set up victory after they dismissed Pakistan for 99, a total the Indian batters surpassed in 11.4 overs, with the left-handed Mandhana hitting three sixes in her 42-ball knock.

The win paved the way for India's entry into the final where they lost the gold to Australia, but Mandhana remained in the top three run-scorers of the competition with an average of just under 40.

Spin force

Pakistan women recorded their first-ever T20 win over their neighbours at the 2012 World Cup when Nida Dar spun them to a narrow one-run win with figures of 3-12.

A picture of Nadia Dar bowling. — PCB/File

Batting first, Pakistan could only muster 98-9 in 20 overs, skipper Sana Mir top-scoring with 26 against a disciplined opposition bowling.

Dar, an off-spinner, then led Pakistan's spin charge alongside Bismah Maroof to choke India to 97-8 in Galle.

All-round Nida

Dar again took the mantle of wrecker-in-chief when she single-handedly demolished India with an unbeaten 56 and 2-23 in the most recent meeting between the two teams.