Harmanpreet Kaur and Sana Mir in the spotlight as India and Pakistan lock horns

Sudhir Gupta 00:13 11/11/2018
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  • Harmanpreet Kaur key for India. Image - BCCIWomen/Twitter.

    After the men’s team met twice recently in the Asia Cup, it will now be the turn of India and Pakistan women to lock horns in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 at Providence, Guyana on Sunday.

    The two arch-rivals will meet in what is the second Group B clash for both sides. While Pakistan come into the game on the back of a 52-run loss to Australia in their campaign opener, India beat the highly fancied White Ferns by 34 runs to register an explosive start to theirs.

    As the two old foes get ready to meet, we look at the talking points ahead of the encounter

    CHANCE FOR INDIA TO AVENGE 2016 DEFEAT

    In the 2016 edition of the ICC Women’s World T20 held on home soil, India were handed a narrow two-run loss by Pakistan in the group stages.

    In the clash at New Delhi, India were restricted to just 96 runs in their 20 overs after batting first. In reply, Pakistan got off to a strong start before the hosts fought back with four quick wickets. However, the rain come pouring down with Pakistan at 77-6 and no further play was deemed possible.

    That handed Pakistan a two-run win via the Duckworth-Lewis method in what was only their second-ever win in the format over India.

    Pakistan reigned supreme in the 2016 edition.

    Pakistan reigned supreme in the 2016 edition.

    MOMENTUM ON INDIA’S SIDE

    India’s 34-run victory in their campaign over will give Harmanpreet Kaur and her side plenty of confidence coming into Sunday’s clash. The White Ferns were tagged as one of the pre-tournament favourites and few expected the Indian team to dispatch them with such authority.

    On the other hand, Pakistan were second-best in every department in their 52-run loss to the Aussies.

    When it comes to ICC World Twenty history, the two sides have faced each other on four separate occasions and have garnered two victories and two losses each.

    Since India’s two-run loss to Pakistan in the 2016 edition, they have met Pakistan thrice in the T20 format across two Asia Cups and have won all three encounters.

    India hold the recent bragging rights.

    India hold the recent bragging rights.

    HARMAPREET KAUR AND SANA MIR HOLD KEY

    There is no doubt that it will be skipper Harmanpreet Kaur who will hold the key for India come Sunday. The explosive all-rounder smashed a delightful 51-ball 103 to set up India’s second highest T20I total.

    The century was the first-ever by an Indian women’s player in T20I cricket and showed the entire range of destruction that Harmanpreet is capable of. The India star has a habit of saving her best for the big occasions as her entertaining 171 against Australia in the 2017 50-over World Cup showed.

    While Harmanpreet will be pivotal to India’s hopes once again, Pakistan will bank on their bowling prodigy Sana Mir. The 32-year-old former Pakistan skipper leaped to the top of the ODI bowlers’ ranking charts for women last month and is capable of bamboozling any batter with her wily off-spinners.

    Sana Mir is pivotal to Pakistan's chances.

    Sana Mir is pivotal to Pakistan’s chances.

    WHEN: November 11, Sunday

    WHERE: Providence, Guyana

    TIME: 19:00 GST

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