The Indo-Pak rivalry will not just be limited to men come in the ICC World Twenty20 as the women's teams from both the countries will also square off in a low-on-hype contest where the hosts will start firm favourites.
The Indo-Pak rivalry will not just be limited to men come in the ICC World Twenty20 as the women's teams from both the countries will also square off in a low-on-hype contest where the hosts will start firm favourites.
The in-form Indian women's team and Pakistan will clash at the Ferozshah Kotla ground in their second Group B ICC World Twenty20 match here tomorrow, a few hours before their male counterparts lock horns in Kolkata. With a dominating 5-1 record against Pakistan in T20Is and on the back of a thumping win in their tournament opener against Bangladesh, the Mithali Raj-led women's team will definitely start favourites in the Group B fixture.
This Indo-Pak ICC World Twenty20 fixture is in total contrast to the other one which has been embroiled in controversies before the start of the tournament.
India and Pakistan women's have played each other only in six Twenty20 Internationals, without much fanfare. India last played Pakistan in the 2014 edition of World T20 in Bangladesh where the Mithali Raj-led eves managed to sneak out with a close six-run win over their arch-rivals and come tomorrow they would like to continue their good run.
Going by their present form and past record, the Indian eves are expected to get past their neighbours without much trouble before they take on top teams like England and West Indies in quest of the two semifinal sports up for grabs from their group.
Unlike previous edition where they were ousted in the group stages, the Indian eves are a contender this time around, courtesy their recent good showing in the T20 format which includes their historic 2-1 T20 away series win over mighty Australia in late January this year followed by the 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka in the run up to the ongoing World T20.
Meanwhile, the Indian women's team captain Mithali Raj said they are confident going into tomorrow's game but expects a tough fight from the neighbours. "We are confident and we will try and continue to do the good work in the next game. We are playing Pakistan and there is a lot of hype being created around this match, more so because the men are playing Pakistan on the same day. Since we are playing at home and it's a World Cup game so there is so much hype.
"But for us it's another game, They are another opponent whom we would want to beat. That way if you look at it, it will reduce the unnecessary pressure," she said.
"As an opponent, Pakistan is a good side. They have this quality of never giving up so easily, they always fight till the wire. Even in the last encounter in went till the last over. So we will not be complacent," Mithali added.
On the personal front, Mithali is in good form and her first priority is to qualify for the semifinals having exited from the group stages in the last edition in Bangladesh.
"Personally, I am happy with my form. What was expected from me as an opener I could deliver but I would like to be consistent because it is imperative that in T20s your openers need to give a good start in the first 6 overs," she said.
"This time the team is doing very well, so our first aim is to qualify for the semis."
Squads: India - Mithali Raj (C), Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Jhulan Goswami, Thirush Kamini, Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Smriti Mandhana, Niranjana Nagarajan, Shikha Pandey, Anuja Patil, Deepti Sharma, VR Vanitha, Sushma Verma (wk), Poonam Yadav.
Pakistan - Sana Mir (C), Bismah Maroof, Nida Dar, Sadia Yousuf, Nain Abidi, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Aliya Riaz, Sidra Ameen, Iram Javed, Asmavia Iqbal, Nahida Khan, Muneeba Ali, Anam Amin, Diana Baig, Ayesha Zafar.
India vs Pakistan schedule:
Date: March 19, 2016.
Time: 3:30 p.m. IST (10 a.m. GMT, 6 a.m. EST).
Venue: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi.
TV listings: India - Star Sports 2, Star Sports HD 2
UK: Sky Sports 2/HD
US: Willow TV
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Indian Women")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}