PREVIEW
Follow Us"We want to win the World Cup because it would be a revolution kind of a thing for Indian women's cricket."
A couple of days prior to the Women in Blue embarked on their journey to the English shores in 2017, Mithali Raj shared her thoughts in a pre-departure press conference on the impact an impressive outing would have on the people back in India.
The last edition of the extravaganza was touted to be a game-changer in the history of women's sport, and it proved exactly that as the performance of the teams all over the globe ensured the frenzy fans stand and applaud the talent on display in the women's arena.
Over four years after their heart-wrenching loss to England at the Home of Cricket in the summit clash of the iconic event, the Indian team will set foot at the Bay Oval on Sunday, 6th March against arch-rivals Pakistan to kickstart their campaign.
In conversation with PTI, Bismah Maroof shared insights on this high-voltage clash. "This match is a great opportunity to inspire millions of girls in Pakistan and India to take up this sport as a profession. It is the biggest rivalry and attracts innumerable eyeballs."
Well, the skipper of the Pakistan outfit ain't wrong as this game garners plenty of interest amongst the passionate fans of the two nations. With a stadium packed to capacity and the pressure of millions of people back home, the two sides step onto the field with emotions running through the roof.
However, as they walk into the middle, it is time for cricket to take centre stage in what would probably be one of the most memorable days in the career of players across the two nations.
In the ten games played thus far in this format, the Women in Blue have dominated proceedings and recorded a win percentage of 100 against their counterparts.
Despite having a clean slate against Pakistan, India have their task cut out as they endured a below-par performance in the past couple of seasons and will look to make amends in the world event.
In the 16 matches played since the 2021 season, the Women in Blue have a win percentage of 25 and managed to register only four wins across four series.
While they enter this game as the favourites to get over the line, Pakistan has a plethora of superstars in their line-up to ensure they stay well on course to derail the plans of their opposition.
Onus on Pakistan's stalwarts
And speaking of superstars, it is hard to get past the experienced duo of Javeria Khan and Maroof. They have been a vital cog in the batting unit of Pakistan and shouldered the bulk of the responsibility of the side over the last decade.
While Javeria is the leading run-scorer for the team with 2874 runs in 112 innings at an average of 28.73, the captain is on the second position with 2602 runs in 105 innings at an average of 27.97.
However, one of the glaring issues for the team and the management would be the lack of runs scored by the duo against India over the years. In the seven innings, Maroof has amassed 74 runs at an average of 10.57, and Javeria managed to score 28 runs in four innings at an average of seven runs.
With the magnitude of the occasions rocketing sky high, Pakistan would need their two stalwarts to rise to the occasion and guide the team through with match-defining performances.
Spin attack on the opposite ends of the spectrum
One of the strengths of the Pakistan side over the years has been their consistent performances in the spin bowling department. In the last encounter between the two sides, Nashra Sandhu scalped four wickets with her left-arm spin to stifle the formidable Indian batting unit and restrict them to a modest total in the first innings.
In the matches played after the 2017 World Cup, Pakistan have picked up 70 wickets in 29 innings at balls per ratio of 29.1, which is the best among the top eight nations.
The art of handling pressure
With a million eyes glued to the televisions sets waiting for this massive game, the two sides will be under enormous pressure to showcase their skills at the international arena.
Over the last three world events, the Indian team have been guilty of crumbling under pressure in the knockout games or crunch encounters. However, after their heroics in the previous World Cup, they will enter the tournament as one of the favourites to win the coveted title.
However, the Women in Blue will need a minor tweak in their mindset to help them create magic on the field and get a step closer to winning the elusive title.
Probable XI:
India: Mithali Raj (c), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Pakistan: Bismah Maroof (c), Nida Dar (vice-captain), Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Nashra Sundhu, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Amin and Sidra Nawaz
