WOMEN’S ASIA CUP 2024: India Begin Title Defence Campaign Against Arch Rivals Pakistan
The Women’s Asia Cup is set for an exciting start as defending champions India face their long-time rivals Pakistan in a prime-time clash on Friday, July 19, 2024. This tournament is not just about the coveted trophy, it’s a crucial stage for the eight competing teams to perfect their strategies ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in October. India’s Dominance and Track Record India, led by the inspirational Harmanpreet Kaur, enters the competition as the team to beat. Their track record is impressive, having won the Asia Cup three out of four times in the T20 format and every time in the 50-overs format. They are the most successful team in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 with 17 wins in 20 matches. Strength Against Pakistan When it comes to facing Pakistan, India’s confidence is high, with an 11-3 win-loss record in T20 matches. Harmanpreet’s team will draw strength from this history and their recent form to secure the Group A clash. Despite a 1-1 draw against South Africa earlier this month due to rain washing out the second T20I, India has shown promise. Key Players for India Smriti Mandhana’s exceptional batting form is India’s key weapon at the top of the order. Alongside her, the team’s bowling attack has become a formidable force, with both pacers and spinners delivering strong performances. Pooja Vastrakar’s eight wickets in three matches against South Africa highlight her excellent form, while Radha Yadav’s return has bolstered the spin department, which also includes the talented Deepti Sharma, Sajeevan Sajana, and the energetic Shreyanka Patil. Pakistan’s Challenges and Changes Pakistan, on the other hand, comes into the tournament with some challenges. They haven’t played since their 3-0 defeat in England in May, which might affect their confidence and game rhythm. However, they’ve made significant changes to their squad, with Iram Javed, Omaima Sohail, and Syeda Aroob Shah returning, and the uncapped Tasmia Rubab making her debut. Despite these changes, Pakistan’s captain Nida Dar remains a crucial figure for the team. Anticipation for a Thrilling Contest The India vs Pakistan fixture promises to be a thrilling contest between these two fierce rivals. As fans eagerly await, the stage is set for a memorable clash in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024. SQUADS: INDIA Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajeevan Sajana. PAKISTAN Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan.
India vs Pakistan: Head-To-Head Stats In All World Cups & ICC Events
India and Pakistan have a storied rivalry in cricket, especially in ICC events, creating intense matches that fans eagerly anticipate. As the cricketing fraternity gets ready to witness another epic clash between India and Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 here is a head to head list of which team performed well over the years in various ICC tournament clashes. 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup (Sydney, Australia)In their first ICC World Cup encounter, India defeated Pakistan by 43 runs. Batting first, India scored 216/7 in 49 overs (reduced due to slow over rate by Pakistan). Pakistan scored 173 in their allotted overs losing all the wickets.Player of the Match: Sachin Tendulkar 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup (Bangalore, India)India won against Pakistan by 39 runs in a thrilling encounter. India posted 287/8 in 50 overs, thanks to Navjot Singh Sidhu’s 93 and Ajay Jadeja’s quick 45. In reply, Pakistan could only manage 248/9. Player of the Match: Navjot Singh Sidhu 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup (Manchester, England)India won again in a close match by 47 runs. Rahul Dravid’s 61 and Sachin Tendulkar’s 45 helped India reach 227/6. Pakistan was bowled out for 180 in pursuit. Player of the Match: Venkatesh Prasad. 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup (Centurion, South Africa) India maintained their unbeaten World Cup record against Pakistan with a 6-wicket victory. Pakistan made 273/7, with Saeed Anwar’s 101. In reply, Sachin Tendulkar’s 98 and Rahul Dravid’s 44 led India to 276/4 in 45.4 overs. Player of the Match: Sachin Tendulkar. 2004 ICC Champions Trophy (Birmingham, England)Pakistan won the toss and asked India to bat. India posted 200/10 backed by Rahul Dravid’s 67. Pakistan however came out victorious making 201/7. Thanks to Mohammad Yousuf’s knock of 81. Player of the Match: Mohammad Yousuf 2009 ICC Champions Trophy (Centurion, South Africa)Pakistan (302/9) had an upper hand during this ICC Champions Trophy fixture against India (248/10) as they went on beating India by 54 runs. Shoaib Malik took on the Indian bowling with his 128 run knock. Player of the Match: Shoaib Malik. 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup (Mohali, India) India won by 29 runs in a high-pressure semi-final match. India scored 260/9, boosted by Sachin Tendulkar’s 85. Pakistan managed 231/10 in their chase. Player of the Match: Sachin Tendulkar. 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup (Adelaide, Australia)India extended their World Cup winning streak against Pakistan with a 76-run victory. India batted first and scored 300/7, thanks to Virat Kohli’s 107. Pakistan was restricted to 224/10 in their reply. Player of the Match: Virat Kohli. 2017 ICC Champions Trophy (Birmingham, England)Pakistan won by 180 runs in the final. Batting first, Pakistan made 338/4, with Fakhar Zaman scoring 114. In response, India could only manage 158/10. Player of the Match: Fakhar Zaman. 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup (Manchester, England)India won again by 89 runs (DLS method) in a rain-affected match. India scored 336/5 in 50 overs, with Rohit Sharma’s 140. Pakistan could only manage 212/6 in 40 overs. Player of the Match: Rohit Sharma. 2021 ICC T20 World Cup (Dubai, UAE)Pakistan finally broke their losing streak against India in T20 World Cups. They dominated the match from start to finish, restricting India to 151/7 and chasing it down without losing a single wicket. This 10-wicket victory was historic for Pakistan with Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan guiding the men in green home.Player of the Match: Shaheen Shah Afridi 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (Adelaide, Australia) Pakistan set a target of 160 runs. Virat Kohli played a magical innings, helping India chase down the target in the last over with 4 wickets remaining.Player of the Match: Virat Kohli India clearly leads the Indo-Pak rivalry 8-4 overall in the ICC tournaments. This rivalry between India and Pakistan in ICC events has produced some of cricket’s most memorable moments, showcasing the intense competition and the skill of players from both nations. You may also like: The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
