Injured Harmanpreet leads India to vital win

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Harmanpreet Kaur has kept her cool to lead India to a cautious six-wicket win over Pakistan to get on the board at the T20 World Cup in Dubai.

Pakistan were stifled by fast bowler Arundhati Reddy (3-19) and off-spinner Shreyanka Patil (2-12) as they could muster only a modest 8-105 on a slow wicket at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday with seasoned Nida Dar top-scoring with 28 off 34 balls.

India, who lost their first group A game against New Zealand by 58 runs, reached their target on 4-108 in 18.5 overs as captain Kaur made a calm 29 off 24 balls before retiring hurt late in the chase.

With only two needed for victor, Harmanpreet briefly lost her balance but regained her ground as wicketkeeper Muneeba Ali missed a stumping opportunity.

She clutched the back of her neck as she walked back to the dug out before Sajeevan Sajana reached the target with a boundary.

Despite the win, India are still only fourth in the group with a poor net run-rate of -1.217 behind third-placed Pakistan, who beat Sri Lanka in their opening game and who have a net run-rate of 0.555. 

New Zealand and Australia occupy the first two spots after winning their respective opening group games and will face each other on Tuesday.

India had squeezed Pakistan to 7-71 in the 15th over despite Asha Sobhana dropping two easy catches off Muneeba Ali (17) and captain Fatima Sana (13). 

Muneeba's struggling knock of 26 balls finally ended when she got stumped off Patil's wide ball.

Sana smashed two boundaries but was brilliantly snapped by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, who plucked a one-handed catch over her head to give some consolation to leg-spinner Sobhana (1-24) for her early lapse in the field.

Dar held the innings together in the death overs with a 28-run partnership with Syeda Aroob Shah, who scored 14, before Reddy bowled Dar in the final over.

India's batting was over-cautious against Pakistan's spin-heavy bowling attack in their run-chase. 

Shafali Verma, who top-scored with 32 off 35 balls, successfully overturned a leg before wicket decision against her through television referral early in her knock, but India's top-order batters struck only five boundaries in their entire run-chase.

Sana (2-23) picked up two late wickets off successive balls when Jemimah Rodrigues (23) and Ghosh both were caught behind. 

Sana came close to trapping Deepti Sharma lbw in her final over but the on-field decision was overturned by the third umpire when TV replays showed the batter had got a thick inside edge.

2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Australia's Group A fixtures

October 5: Australia defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets

October 8: v New Zealand, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 9 AEDT

October 11: v Pakistan, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 12 AEDT

October 13: v India, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 14 AEDT

Finals

October 17: Semi-final 1, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 18 AEDT

October 18: Semi-final 2, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 19 AEDT

October 20: Final, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, 1am Oct 21 AEDT

For the full list of fixtures click here. All matches live and exclusive on Prime Video. Sign up here for a 30-day free trial