Women’s T20 World Cup: Pakistan look to interrupt India grip at WC

Pakistan will look to interrupt India’s iron grip on their rivalry when the Asian giants meet within the Women’s T20 World Cup at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday.

India and Pakistan have met in 13 girls’s T20 internationals previously 14 years, with India holding a 10-3 successful benefit.

Because of political tensions, all of the contests have been in multi-team tournaments.

The solely match not on impartial territory was within the Asia Cup in Delhi, India, in 2016 when Pakistan received a rain-affected contest.

Pakistan received the latest match between the 2 sides, additionally within the Asia Cup, in Sylhet, Bangladesh, in October 2022. But India went on to win the cup.

India have a superior total document in girls’s cricket and reached the ultimate of the 2020 World T20, dropping to hosts Australia.

There can also be a gulf in incomes potential, with most if not the entire Indian gamers more likely to land profitable offers within the Indian Women’s Premier League public sale which takes place in Mumbai on Monday.

That will solely add to the riches of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana who presently earn round $60,000 every.

India’s girls are additionally on an equal footing with their vaunted males’s group with regards to match charges — all of them obtain 1.5 million rupees ($18,000) for every Test, 600,000 rupees for one-day internationals and 300,000 rupees for T20 internationals.

Pakistan gamers are prevented from coming into the IPL public sale, though there are plans for a Pakistan girls’s league later this 12 months.

Back in 2018, Pakistan media reported that whereas male internationals made round $77,000 a 12 months on common, girls gamers have been bringing residence solely $12,000.

Kaur mentioned she anticipated the World Cup to be aggressive.

“Though Australia go into the tournament as favourites, there is very little separating other teams, promising close matches and high-class performances,” she mentioned.

Kaur mentioned her gamers took inspiration from the nation’s children which received the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa final month.

Two gamers from the junior group, Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh, are a part of the senior squad.

“We have depth in batting and enough variety in bowling to do what is required against top teams,” mentioned Kaur.

Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof, certainly one of her nation’s centrally contracted gamers, mentioned a collection in Australia final month had been very best preparation for the World Cup, though Pakistan misplaced each accomplished matches towards the world’s high girls’s group.

“The series provided the players a great opportunity to prepare themselves and express their talent,” mentioned Maroof. “The pitches in South Africa are likely to be of the same nature as we got in Australia.”

Pakistan quick bowler Diana Baig suffered a finger damage in Australia which dominated her out of the World Cup.

Veteran Nida Dar, 36, is a key participant for Pakistan. She was the star of the win towards India in Sylhet final 12 months, scoring 56 not out and taking two for 23 together with her off-spinners.

Dar shone with ball and bat in Pakistan’s win in a warm-up match towards Bangladesh on Monday however Pakistan have been crushed by hosts South Africa on Wednesday.

India’s batting failed of their first warm-up match towards Australia earlier than Richa Ghosh made 91 not out to arrange a 52-run victory over Bangladesh on Wednesday.