Harmanpreet Kaur Says ‘We Want To Keep Playing Fearless Cricket’ After India’s Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024 Win Over Pakistan

New Delhi: Indian Women’s Cricket team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has called on her players to embrace a fearless mindset as they set their sights on securing their eighth Asia Cup title. The team made an impressive start to their campaign with a commanding victory over their arch-rivals, Pakistan, in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, on Friday.

After being asked to bowl first, the Indian team dismissed Pakistan for a modest 108 runs.

The Indian openers, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, made quick work of the chase with their aggressive play from the outset. Verma struck a brisk 45, while Mandhana contributed a solid 40 as they dominated the Pakistan bowlers. Their dynamic partnership ensured India reached the target with 35 balls to spare, setting the stage for a promising campaign in the tournament.

“Our bowlers and openers did the job. The first game is always a pressure game that sets the tone. Our entire unit played really well. When we were bowling, we were talking about early breakthroughs. With the bat, credit goes to Smriti and Shafali. We want to keep playing fearless cricket,” Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

Pakistan captain Nida Dar admitted that her team’s batting during the Powerplay fell short compared to their opponents. She acknowledged that this was a key factor in the match’s outcome.

“The difference was the powerplays, we lost both. The bowlers did well towards the end, though. We are confident of bouncing back,” she said.

Deepti Sharma, the seasoned Indian spinner, expressed her delight in playing a pivotal role in the team’s victory. With impressive figures of 3/20, she was named Player of the Match.
“I am feeling really good as I could deliver as per the plan. I had the belief. As a unit, we are doing well for the last few months. The camps we have had helped a lot.

“I worked on my bowling after the South Africa series, so that helped. Nida Dar is a good batter, so her wicket was important,” she said.