IND-W vs PAK-W, Women¡¯s T20 World Cup 2024: India¡¯s probable lineup, head-to-head records, pitch, and weather details
India will face Pakistan in the Women¡¯s T20 World Cup 2024, with India seeking a win after a heavy loss to New Zealand. India's predicted XI includes Mandhana, Verma, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur. India leads the head-to-head record, winning 13 out of 15 T20Is. The Dubai pitch favors balance, and the heat may impact tactics in this crucial game.
Harmanpreet Kaur¡¯s India will lock horns with Fatima Sana¡¯s Pakistan in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Pakistan comes into the match with momentum after securing a win over Sri Lanka, while India is reeling from a heavy defeat against New Zealand in their previous game.
Though the tournament is still in its early stages, the upcoming clash is vital for Harmanpreet¡¯s team. After suffering a big loss to New Zealand, India's Net Run Rate has taken a significant hit. While this may not yet be considered a must-win encounter, another loss could place India in a difficult position, especially with only two teams advancing from the group of five. A second consecutive defeat might put them under immense pressure in the coming matches.
India¡¯s possible playing XI for the game
Ahead of the all-important match, here is a look at India¡¯s predicted playing XI for their match against Pakistan in the Women¡¯s T20 World Cup 2024.
Openers: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana
India¡¯s opening duo of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana is likely to remain unchanged despite their struggles in the game against New Zealand. Mandhana was dismissed after finding long-off perfectly, while Verma fell early, returning a catch to the bowler. The pair will need to deliver a better performance in the upcoming match to give India a solid start.
Middle order: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma
Harmanpreet Kaur is expected to continue batting at No. 3, a position that may not be ideal on paper but will likely remain unchanged. Jemimah Rodrigues, who has an important role against Pakistan¡¯s spinners, will likely bat at No. 4.
India could consider bringing in an extra batter, Yastika Bhatia, to strengthen the middle order, especially with Deepti Sharma¡¯s poor form. However, Yastika was only featured in one of the two warmup matches, which made her inclusion uncertain. Richa Ghosh, who struggled against New Zealand, will also be looking to find her rhythm, while Deepti will need to improve with both bat and ball.
Lower order: Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh Thakur
The lower order is expected to feature Pooja Vastrakar and Renuka Singh Thakur as key players in the pace attack. Arundhati Reddy, who performed reasonably well in the previous game, is likely to retain her spot despite being seen as the weakest link in India¡¯s bowling lineup.
Asha Sobhana, the standout bowler in India¡¯s previous match, will be expected to repeat her solid performance, while Shreyanka Patil will play a vital role with the ball in the middle overs and at the death. Radha Yadav, on the other hand, might find herself on the bench once again.
India¡¯s squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajeevan Sajana.
India-Pakistan T20 head-to-head stats
The head-to-head record between India and Pakistan in T20Is heavily favours India, who have won 13 out of the 15 matches played between the two sides. Pakistan has managed to secure victory on just two occasions.
Pitch and weather expectations for the India-Pakistan match
The Dubai International Cricket Stadium typically provides a balanced pitch, with something in it for both batters and bowlers. However, since the match will be played during the day, the wicket might become more challenging to bat on as the game progresses. This could lead the captain who wins the toss to choose to bat first.
As per the AccuWeather app, the temperature on the match day will hover around 37¡ãC, making heat an important factor. Given that the game is scheduled in the afternoon, both teams may need to adjust their strategies accordingly to cope with the challenging conditions.
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Kumar Debvrat is a copyeditor at Indiatimes. He writes about trending topics in India, from human-interest stories to cricket. He has a sharp eye for detail and a passion for storytelling.
