India achieved their first victory in the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup by defeating Pakistan in a thrilling match. Chasing a modest target of 106 runs, India completed the chase in 18.5 overs with six wickets in hand. The match ended with Malayali player Sajna Sajeev hitting a boundary on the first ball she faced, sealing the win for India.
In the Indian batting lineup, Shafali Verma contributed 32 runs from 35 balls, captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored 29 runs from 24 balls, and Jemimah Rodrigues added 23 runs from 28 balls. However, star batter Smriti Mandana was dismissed early after scoring only seven runs off 16 balls, and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh was out on her first ball. Sajna Sajeev took charge when Harmanpreet Kaur was injured, delivering the final blow with a boundary off Nashra Sandhu’s bowling.
Arundhati Reddy was named the player of the match for her excellent bowling performance, taking three wickets for just 19 runs. Pakistan struggled against India’s bowlers, managing only 105 runs for eight wickets in their 20 overs. Nida Dar top-scored for Pakistan with 28 runs from 34 balls, but their batting lineup collapsed under pressure. Muneeba Ali and Fatima Sana made brief contributions, but Pakistan failed to build momentum.
Pakistan’s bowling saw some success through captain Fatima Sana, who took two wickets for 23 runs in four overs. Sadia Iqbal and Omaima Suhail each picked up a wicket, but it wasn’t enough to stop India. Earlier in the game, Pakistan had a poor start, losing Gul Feroza in the first over to Renuka Singh. Indian bowlers dominated, with Arundhati Reddy taking three wickets, while Shreyanka Patil grabbed two. Asha Shobhana, another Malayali player, also impressed, claiming a wicket without giving away too many runs.
This match was particularly special for Kerala as Sajna Sajeev made her debut in the starting eleven, replacing Pooja Vastrakar. She became the second Malayali player to feature in this World Cup, alongside Asha Shobhana, who also contributed with her solid bowling performance.
