India delivered a clinical performance at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, dismantling Pakistan to secure a comfortable seven-wicket victory in the
Pakistan’s batting lineup struggled significantly against the Indian bowling attack, collapsing for a total of just 55 runs in 18.1 overs. This performance marked the lowest-ever T20I total for Pakistan, surpassing their previous record of 63 runs, which was also set against India during the 2012 edition of the tournament in Guangzhou.
A dominant display with the ball
The Indian spinners dictated the pace of the match from the outset. Shree Charani and Prema Rawat were particularly effective, dismantling the Pakistan middle and lower order with precision. Charani concluded her spell with impressive figures of 3/7, while Rawat claimed 3/9. Deepti Sharma provided further pressure, finishing with 2/5 as the Pakistan innings failed to gain any momentum.
The collapse began early when Shafali Verma bowled Muneeba Ali for 13. Pakistan briefly reached 29 for 3, but the wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. By the 13th over, the side was reeling at 45 for 7. India’s chase was equally efficient, requiring only 8.4 overs to reach the target. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur steered the side home, remaining unbeaten on 18 to ensure the victory was never in doubt.
Riaz defends team selection and outlook
Despite the lopsided nature of the defeat, Pakistan team mentor
Riaz also addressed recent criticism from former captain Sana Mir, who had questioned the decision to make significant changes to the squad ahead of the Asia Cup. Defending the selection process, Riaz stated that the changes were necessary to build for the future, noting that previous iterations of the team had failed to achieve consistent results. He emphasized that the decision to introduce new faces was a strategic move aimed at long-term development rather than immediate success with an underperforming core.
With the loss, Pakistan now faces a must-win scenario in their final group match against Hong Kong to keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive. India, meanwhile, moves forward with six points and a perfect record in the group stage.
