The Women’s Asia Cup is set to get off to a big start with defending champions India taking on arch rivals Pakistan in a primetime match on Friday. The eight participating teams will be looking to strengthen their ties ahead of the T20 World Cup in October. Led by Harmanpreet Kaul, India are the favourites to win the Asia Cup this time around, having won three out of four T20 versions and all four 50-over formats. Moreover, India are also the most successful team in the Women’s Asia Cup T20, having won 17 out of 20 matches. They defeated Bangladesh in the final of the last tournament in 2022.
India’s record against Pakistan in the shortest format has also been impressive, with 11 wins and three losses from 14 matches and Kaul’s team will be banking on this, along with their good form in recent matches, to dominate their Group A encounter here.
India drew 1-1 with South Africa earlier this month after the second of their three T20I matches were called off, but Pakistan have been short on game time and confidence since their last match was against England in May when they were shut out 3-0 by the hosts.
Smiriti Mandhana’s in-form batting will be the biggest weapon for India’s top of the batting order but the biggest takeaway from recent matches across all formats has been the improved form of the bowling, with pacers and spinners playing well-coordinated matches.
India’s fast bowler Pooja Vastrakar has been in good form, taking eight wickets in the three matches against South Africa, but it will also be encouraging to see Radha Yadav back in form in a spin attack that also includes Deepti Sharma, Sajeevan Sajjana and the lively Shreyanka Patil.
Pakistan retained Nida Dar as captain for the Asia Cup but the team has undergone a major revamp since their heavy defeat in England.
Three players who have not played a match so far this year – Iram Javed, Omaima Sohail and Sayeeda Aloob Shah – have been added to the uncapped Tasmia Rubab list, while six other players have been omitted from the squad.
Nepal and the UAE are trying to make a name for themselves
Group A also includes Nepal and the United Arab Emirates, who will face off at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium earlier in the day.
The top two teams from the group will meet in the semi-finals.
Nepal will be returning to the tournament for the first time since 2016, while the UAE are expected to qualify for a second consecutive year and will be full of confidence having won more than half of their matches this year.
Lack of game time will be a concern for Nepal, who last played in a loss to Malaysia in the Asian Cricket Council Women’s Premier Cup in mid-February.
The UAE last played a competitive match in May, when they lost to Sri Lanka in the semi-final of a T20 World Cup qualifier.
team:
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 Sajjana.
Pakistan: Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gul Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali, Naziha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Saida Aloob Shah, Tasmia Rubab and Chuba Hassan.
The match will begin at 7 PM IST.
Nepal: The cast includes Indu Varma (Captain), Sita Rana Magar, Rajmati Iley, Rubina Chhetri, Dolly Bhatta, Mamta Choudhary, Kavita Joshi, Kavita Kunwar, Kritika Marasini, Pooja Mahato, Bindu Rawal, Roma Thapa, Sabnam Rai, Samujana Khaduka and Kajal Sureshtha (Week).
United Arab Emirates: Esha Oza (c), Theerta Satish (wk), Emily Thomas, Samaira Dharnidarka, Kavisha Egodaj, Lavanya Kenny, Khushi Sharma, Indhuja Nandakumar, Rinita Rajit, Rishita Rajis, Vaishnav Mahesh, Suraksha Kotte, Heena Hotchandani, Mehak Thakur, Rishika Rajis.
The match will begin at 2 PM IST.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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