India vs Pakistan: Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur Begin Girls’s Asia Cup Title Defence

The Girls’s Asia Cup is ready for a blockbuster begin when defending champions India tackle arch-foes Pakistan in a prime-time conflict right here on Friday, with the eight competing groups hoping to agency up their mixtures forward of the T20 World Cup in October. Harmanpreet Kaur’s India are the staff to beat going into this iteration of the Asia Cup, having gained the competitors three out of 4 instances within the T20 model and every of the 4 instances in 50-overs format. Moreover, India are additionally probably the most profitable staff within the Girls’s Asia Cup T20 with 17 wins in 20 matches. They beat Bangladesh within the last of the final version in 2022.

India’s report towards Pakistan has additionally been stellar within the shortest format with 11 wins towards three defeats in 14 matches to this point and Kaur’s staff will lean on it along with the wealthy kind proven in current outings to clinch the Group A conflict right here.

Whereas India are coming off a 1-1 draw towards South Africa earlier this month with the second of the three T20Is being washed out, Pakistan can be quick on game-time in addition to confidence since their final outing was in England in Could when the hosts blanked them 3-0.

Smriti Mandhana’s wealthy kind with the bat can be India’s best weapon on the prime of the order however the greatest acquire from current all-format outings has been the way in which their bowling has formed up, with pacers and spinners placing on a mixed present.

India pacer Pooja Vastrakar’s eight wickets throughout three outings towards South Africa point out her kind however moreover, Radha Yadav’s profitable return to the combination of spinners has been encouraging. The spin assault additionally consists of Deepti Sharma, Sajeevan Sajana and the sprightly Shreyanka Patil.

Despite the fact that Pakistan retained Nida Dar as skipper for the Asia Cup, the squad has undergone vital overhaul because the debacle in England.

Three gamers, Iram Javed, Omaima Sohail, Syeda Aroob Shah, who haven’t performed any matches to this point this 12 months, had been included with the uncapped Tasmia Rubab whereas six others had been dropped.

Nepal, UAE look to make their mark

Additionally positioned in Group A are Nepal and the United Arab Emirates who will face off right here earlier within the day on the Rangiri Dambulla Worldwide Stadium.

The highest two groups from the group will play within the semifinals.

Whereas Nepal are returning to the competitors for the primary time since 2016, UAE are set for his or her second consecutive look and can be excessive on confidence having gained greater than half of their matches this 12 months.

The shortage of game-time can be a priority for Nepal whose final outing was in mid February once they misplaced to Malaysia within the Asian Cricket Council’s Girls’s Premier Cup.

UAE had been final seen in motion in Could once they misplaced within the T20 World Cup Qualifier semifinal to Sri Lanka.

Groups:

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.

Match begins at 7pm (IST).

Nepal: Indu Barma (capt), Sita Rana Magar, Rajmati Airee, Rubina Chhetry, Dolly Bhatta, Mamta Chaudhary, Kabita Joshi, Kabita Kunwar, Kritika Marasini, Puja Mahato, Bindu Rawal, Roma Thapa, Sabnam Rai, Samnjana Khadka, Kajal Sreshtha (wk).

UAE: Esha Oza (c), Theertha Satish (wk), Emily Thomas, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Lavanya Keny, Khushi Sharma, Indhuja Nandakumar, Rinitha Rajith, Rishitha Rajith, Vaishnave Mahesh, Suraksha Kotte, Heena Hotchandani, Mehak Thakur, Rithika Rajith.

Match begins at 2pm (IST).

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