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India and Pakistan will kickstart their ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 campaign on Sunday, February 12, as they lock horns at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.
This Group 2 clash will see the sub-continental rivals square off for the seventh time in a Women's T20 World Cup. It's the Women in Blue who hold the edge as far as head-to-head is concerned, having won four of the six contests between the two sides at the marquee event.
Neither team will want to put a foot wrong as they seek to kickstart their T20 World Cup campaign on the right note. With that in mind, here's a look at five player battles that could just define which way this contest heads:
#1 Shafali Verma vs Fatima Sana
In the likely absence of vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, India's hopes of getting off to a flyer rest firmly on the shoulders of Shafali Verma. Having recently led the country to the inaugural U19 Women's T20 World Cup crown in the rainbow nation, the 19-year-old prodigy will be chomping at the bit to lay down a marker in the senior event.
With Fatima Sana known to swing the new ball, however, Shafali's task will not be easy. Sana will also assume extra responsibility now for Pakistan in the absence of the injured Diana Baig.
Stopping Shafali in the powerplay will be pivotal to Pakistan's chances of winning their third T20 World Cup clash against India and Sana's matchup against her could prove to be hugely defining.
#2 Deepti Sharma vs Muneeba Ali
Switching to the powerplay at the other end, Muneeba Ali is set to open the innings for Pakistan. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter doesn't boast a strong strike rate in this format, but she will be tasked with holding the innings together.
With Deepti Sharma likely to operate in that phase, however, Muneeba will have her task cut out. The talismanic Indian all-rounder has dismissed her once in T20Is and her ability to turn the ball away from the left-hander should put her at the forefront of this matchup.
Pakistan's batting tempo has let them down over time in the shortest format. If they are to pull off something special in their T20 World Cup opener, they need Muneeba to explore the option of taking the attack to Deepti and the rest of her colleagues.
#3 Jemimah Rodrigues vs Tuba Hassan
Slowly but surely, it seems as though Jemimah Rodrigues is returning to her best form. The right-handed batter mostly bats at No. 3, but could also open the batting with Mandhana likely to miss the T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan.
Rodrigues has a reputation for being an outstanding player of spin and that will have to come to the fore against leg-spinner Tuba Hassan. They haven't faced up against each other yet in international cricket, and that only adds a new layer of intrigue with Tuba tasked with scything through India's middle order on Sunday.
#4 Pooja Vastrakar vs Ayesha Naseem
Given that Pakistan have faced issues with their scoring rate in T20Is, Ayesha Naseem is often tasked with having to provide that finishing kick. The dashing 18-year-old all-rounder can hit the ball a long way, and along with Nida Dar, forms the engine room of her side.
Considering that she is likely to bat in the death overs, Pooja Vastrakar's assortment of slower deliveries and yorkers come into the mix. The Indian all-rounder has regained complete fitness as she displayed during the recently concluded tri-series, and will take on death-bowling responsibilities for the Women in Blue.
Well begun isn't half done for no reason, and if India need to back the efforts of their spinners towards the end of the innings, they will turn towards Vastrakar to ensure that Naseem isn't let off the hook.
#5 Harmanpreet Kaur vs Nida Dar
India's captain against Pakistan's trump card. In many ways, Nida Dar carries a massive burden of Pakistan's hopes on her shoulders across all facets of the game. With the ball in particular, she could be pit against the dangerous Harmanpreet Kaur.
Dar enjoys a favorable matchup against Harmanpreet, having dismissed her twice so far in T20Is. That the latter has only managed a strike rate of 51.6 so far against the off-spinner means that the Indian captain has a record to set straight on Sunday.
Harmanpreet has had issues with her shoulder in recent times. But if she can get off to a positive start in her team's T20 World Cup opener, it could just lay the foundation for the rest of the tournament as well. How she negates Dar could prove to be decisive to that end.
Which matchup are you most eagerly looking forward to in the Women's T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan? Let us know in the comments section below!
Also read: 3 reasons why Pakistan could upset India at the Women's T20 World Cup
