The mounting pressure increased after the toss went against India in an arch-rivals clash following a defeat to New Zealand in their tournament opener. However, the bowlers took up the challenge of bowling in scorching Sharjah conditions with Renuka Singh Thakur drawing the first blood by cleaning up Gull Feroza in the first over. The early introduction of spin yielded a cherry on the top for the Women in Blue as Deepti Sharma sent Sidra Amin packing to wrap up a 29-run powerplay. Arundhati Reddy and Shreyanka Patil followed it up by removing Omaima Sohail and Muneeba Ali conceding just 12 runs in the next four overs. Finally, a 32-ball boundary drought ended with Fatima Sana taking down Asha Sobhana for back-to-back fours in the 14th over before getting out in the next delivery. With the score reflecting 70/5 in 14 overs, Nida Dar anchored the innings till the end as the Women in Green could add just a couple of more fours in the innings before ending at 105/8 in 20 overs.
In response, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma got off to a slow start as they faced trouble against the slow nature of the strip. The southpaw sucumbed to dot ball pressure in the fifth over, resulting in just 25 runs in the powerplay. Jemimah Rodrigues was promoted at No. 3 over Harmanpreet Kaur and the former kept milking for singles and doubles with Verma’s hand settling as per the condition’s demands. The pair accumulated 43 runs together before Verma getting outfoxed in the 12th over with the score 62/2. Jemimah constantly swept the balls to rotate the strike with Harman against the spinners before Fatima Sana brought herself out with the ball to induce back-to-back wickets in the form of Jemimmah and Richa Ghosh. The tables turned with this brilliant over as the Women in Blue required 22 to win from the last four overs. However, composed Deepti Sharma and Harmanpreet extracted 18 runs in the next two overs to leave four runs behind. After a couple of singles, the Indian skipper trudged off the field due to an unprecedented injury before Sajeevan Sajana hit the winning runs with seven balls to spare.
Injured
— Vn (@HitmanVn) October 6, 2024
Back
INDIA ARE BACK…!!!! 🇮🇳
HARMANPREET KAUR & HER TEAM DEFEATED PAKISTAN IN THE T20 WORLD CUP 💪 pic.twitter.com/bTwY7a9d2H— Amit Singh 🇮🇳❣️ (@KR_AMIT007) October 6, 2024
Injury concern
Big injury concern for team India 🥺 captain Harmanpreet Kaur injured 🥲💔 hope she is fine 🤞🏻#INDvPAK #HarmanpreetKaur #T20WomensWorldCup
— Dr.Deepak Jain (@Deepakjain1827) October 6, 2024
Down the track
Shafali Verma comes down the track and lofts but finds the fielder, Aliya Riaz in the deep.
Omaima Sohail breaks the partnership.#INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/zVhSTE9c1Z— Dharmendra Argal 🇮🇳 (OffIcial) (@DharmendraArga9) October 6, 2024
In the chase
FIFTY up for #TeamIndia in the chase.
56 needed off the final 10 with Shafali Verma & Jemimah Rodrigues in the middle 🤜🤛— arayan 🇮🇳 (@Tum2Jao) October 6, 2024
What a bowler
Pakistan Captain Fatima Sana gets 2 in 2 😱 What a captain what a bowler 🔥
Pakistan getting closer to victory
#Fatimasana #RichaGhosh #JemimahRodrigues #INDvsPAK #INDvPAK #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/rE1VVHiJGf— ANUJ THAKKUR (@anuj2488) October 6, 2024
2 wickets
2 WICKETS IN 2 BALLS BY PAKISTAN CAPTAIN FATIMA SANA…🥶
– Jemimah Rodrigues
– Richa Ghosh #INDvPAK #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/BZHOrLmauP— MANU. (@Manojy9812) October 6, 2024
On roll
Indian bowlers on a roll, Pakistan 33 for 3 after 6.5 overs 🔥
Deepti Sharma & Arundhati Reddy with the vital wickets 👌#Cricket #T20 #INDvPAK #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/3RYs5fhHBb— Rampravesh Nishad (@merampravesh) October 6, 2024
Great spell
Great spell from Shreyanka & Arundhati Reddy !! Great Catch by Richa Ghosh 🔥🔥🔥
— Sudhir Badola | सुधीर बडोला (@sudhirbadola12) October 6, 2024
Career best
Arundhati Reddy shines with her career-best T20I figures on the big stage
— Zain Siddiqi (@zainsiddiqi7535) October 6, 2024
Good catch
WHAT. A. CATCH. 👌
#RichaGhosh‘s superb reflexes see 🇵🇰 skipper #FatimaSana‘s back off #AshaSobhana‘s bowling! #INDvsPAK #INDvsPAK #WomenInBluepic.twitter.com/rkZ6fJNE6w— BlueGreen Planet (@De_le_Vega) October 6, 2024
