India once again showed their dominance over Pakistan, cruising to a seven-wicket win in the Women’s Asia Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
A familiar spin-led attack reduced Pakistan from a promising 27/0 to just 55 all out, giving India an easy chase. Pakistan’s collapse was dramatic. They lost their final 10 wickets for only 28 runs, recording their lowest-ever total in Women’s T20Is. India were not flawless in the field, dropping chances and conceding extra runs through misfields, but Pakistan could not make them pay.
The spinners soon took complete control, suffocating Pakistan’s batters with a mix of flight, turn and variations in pace. Shree Charani and Prema Rawat claimed three wickets apiece, while Deepti Sharma also struck to ensure Pakistan never recovered.
The victory gave Harmanpreet Kaur a memorable result in her 150th T20I as captain. It also extended India’s unbeaten dominance over Pakistan in the Women’s Asia Cup, with India now holding a 7-1 head-to-head record.
PAKISTAN’S PROMISING START COLLAPSES
Pakistan appeared comfortable during the opening stages, with Muneeba Ali and Shawaal Zulfiqar putting together a steady partnership. India’s fielding, however, was unusually sloppy. Misfields handed Pakistan extra runs, while Pratika Rawal also dropped a chance offered by Muneeba.
Nandani Sharma kept the openers under pressure, but Zulfiqar responded with a couple of boundaries to keep Pakistan moving. Their promising start ended when Shafali Verma bowled Muneeba for 13.
That wicket opened the floodgates.
Charani then produced a superb spell, using flight and turn to dismiss Gull Feroza and trap Zulfiqar lbw. Ayesha Zafar followed, failing to clear mid-on.
Rawat continued the squeeze, bowling Sadaf Shamas after initially dropping a return catch. Deepti then trapped captain Fatima Sana lbw for a duck.
From 27/0, Pakistan had suddenly collapsed.
The wickets kept coming as India’s spinners made run-scoring increasingly difficult. Eyman Fatima was run out for five after Deepti recovered from an initial fumble, while Rawat removed Nashra Sandhu and Umm-e-Hani to complete her three-wicket haul.
Charani also finished with three wickets, and Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 55.
SHAFALI CREATES HISTORY
India’s chase looked like a formality, but Pakistan captain Fatima Sana briefly gave her side hope by removing two early wickets.
Shafali Verma began aggressively, hitting Sadia Iqbal for six off the first ball before taking a single to reach 3,000 Women’s T20I runs.
At 22 years and 220 days, Shafali became the youngest player to reach the milestone and only the 16th overall. She also joined Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur as the only Indian women to cross 3,000 T20I runs.
Fatima soon dismissed her for 12, inducing a leading edge back to the bowler.
Pratika Rawal followed almost immediately, edging Fatima through to Muneeba. Fatima had now removed both Indian openers, and when she trapped Mandhana lbw for nine, India were reduced to 29/3.
But Pakistan had simply left themselves too little to defend.
HARMANPREET FINISHES THE JOB
Harmanpreet and Deepti calmly guided India through the rest of the chase, rotating the strike and refusing to take unnecessary risks.
With only 27 runs required, Pakistan could not create enough pressure. Harmanpreet eventually decided to finish things in style, hitting a boundary before clearing the ropes with the next delivery.
India reached 57/3 in just 8.4 overs, with Harmanpreet unbeaten on 18 and Deepti on 12.
The emphatic victory further strengthened India’s credentials as tournament favourites. Pakistan, meanwhile, now face a must-win clash against Hong Kong as they fight to keep their campaign alive.
India will be pleased with another commanding result, though their fielding errors and brief top-order wobble remain areas to address before the semi-finals.
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