With a five-wicket win against Pakistan, India Women continued their unbeaten streak in the ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup, 2016. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led team chased down the 98-run target with four balls to spare in the closely fought game in Thailand. After the spinners restricted Pakistan to 97 for five, the India captain took the team across the finish line. The all-rounder who had earlier picked two middle-order wickets, returned to take the team to victory with an unbeaten 26 off 22 balls.
Opening the innings for India, Mithali Raj had shaped the chase with a 57-ball 36 even as wickets fell at regular intervals. The senior bat held up one end after losing her opening partner, Smriti Mandhana with 27 runs on the board. After 20 runs, S Meghana was trapped lbw by Nida Dar leaving India on 47 for two in the 11th over. Couple of overs later Veda Krishnamurthy followed her back with the team on 51.
Harmanpreet then joined the opener in keeping the chase on track, but with 20 runs still required, Mithali was caught by Sana Mir off her own bowling. With 23 ball remaining to attain the target, Jhulan Goswami joined the young skipper in the middle but was sent back by Sadia Yousuf in the penultimate over leaving India on 89 for five.
With Anuja Patil, Harmanpreet then took the team to their third successive win of the tournament.
Earlier, India elected to bowl first after winning the toss. Pakistan batters hit Shikha Pandey for nine runs in the second over and was replaced by Ekta Bisht. The left-arm spinner responded with the wicket of Javeria Khan to leave the opponents on 22 for one in the fourth over.
While Goswami bowled her quota of four overs, Harmanpreet persisted with spin to keep Pakistan in check. Three overs later, Patil accounted for Bismah Maroof and followed up with the wicket of Ayesha Zafar to leave the opposition on 44 for three in the 11th over. A while later, Harmanpreet claimed Iram Javed and Dar. As Pakistan looked to set India a competitive target, Bisht applied the breaks with the wickets of Asmavia Iqbal to leave the side on 73 for six in the 17th over and later sent back Mir in the penultimate over. Nain Abidi (37*), who had stoically stood at one end, took the team to 97 for seven with Sidra Nawaz in their quota overs.
