It’s India vs Pakistan at Cape Town as the Women in Blue eye a victorious start to their T20 World Cup campaign

A fresh new chapter awaits as the Indian women prepare themselves to take forth the challenge of hitting the latest yard in the ongoing T20 World Cup. More importantly, on a fine Sunday evening, it is going to be India versus Pakistan at Cape Town.

India will be coming into this fixture on the back of a victory against Bangladesh in a warm-up game that saw their batters piling up a stellar show following which the bowlers seized the day with distinction.

They will be banking upon some serious firepower in their batting department featuring the likes of Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. Richa Ghosh will be tasked with providing the late flourish that she is known for.

They will also be pinning their hopes on a sturdy bowling line up that has been in pretty fine touch until now heading into the tournament, showcasing their strength against Australia, South Africa and West Indies, of late.

Pakistan would be desperate to emulate their form in the Asia Cup as they got the better of India. However, post that game, they didn’t really have a sumptuous outing as they bowed out to Sri Lanka in the semis.

In recent times, the rivalry between the Indian and the Pakistan women has been pretty askew with India calling the shots firmly while their arch-rivals have mainly relied on stunners to get them home in the handful of occasions that they could manage.

This is going to be a crackerjack contest of the willow and the leather considering the contrasting strengths that these sides will be bringing to the platter. India will be heavily reliant on their top-order backed aptly by the bowling duo of Renuka Singh and Deepti Sharma to deal significant blows to the aspirations of their neighbours.

Pakistan will be hoping to match India pound for pound but going by the antiquity of the feud, they will have their hopes pinned upon Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar to deliver them to the gates of an upset considering the strength of the Indian cricket team.