Fatima Sana
Sana did manage to make an impact with the ball, claiming three wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for just 55. She had made 12 off six deliveries, hitting one four and one boundary before her dismissal. Muneeba Ali and Shawaal Zulfiqar put on a confident start, taking the score to 27 without loss in a little over four overs. Charani, a 22-year-old left-arm orthodox spinner, finished with outstanding figures of 3/7 from four overs. Rawat, the 24-year-old leg-spinner, claimed 3/9 in her four overs. Shafali also contributed with the ball, picking up one wicket for 10 runs from three overs, while Deepti returned 2/5 from 3.1 overs. Pakistan eventually folded for 55 in 18.1 overs, their lowest-ever total in T20I cricket.
Youngsters Shree Charani and Prema Rawat dismantled the Pakistan middle order with disciplined spells, while Deepti Sharma also joined the attack as Pakistan lost six wickets for only nine runs. But it was her animated celebration after dismissing India opener Shafali Verma that became one of the talking points of the contest. The incident occurred on the third ball of the second over of India’s chase. Sana delivered a good-length ball that bounced slightly more than Shafali expected. The young opener attempted to work it towards the leg side but only managed to produce a leading edge. The ball went back towards Sana, who held on comfortably to complete the catch. Sana immediately turned towards Shafali and gestured towards the pavilion, giving the Indian batter a fiery send-off. Shafali, however, showed no reaction to the celebration and simply walked back towards the dressing room. The send-off also drew a sharp observation from commentator Vivek Razdan, who pointed out the contrasting fortunes of the two teams. Pakistan had initially appeared comfortable after being asked to bat first. That progress quickly disappeared once India turned to spin.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana found herself at the centre of attention during her side’s Women’s Asia Cup clash against India at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday.
India’s bowlers were relentless throughout the innings, delivering an astonishing 78 dot balls. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines Shafali was dismissed for 12, while Smriti Mandhana made nine and Pratika Rawal scored four, with Sana accounting for all three wickets. Harmanpreet remained unbeaten on 18, while Deepti finished not out on 12 as India reached the target in only 8.4 overs to complete a seven-wicket victory. She became the first captain in international cricket, men or women, to lead India in 150 T20Is.
Sana’s dismissal of Shafali was her third wicket of the innings, as the Pakistan captain tried to lead from the front after her own team’s disastrous batting display. There was little drama once India began their chase. But Pakistan had no scoreboard pressure to work with after their own collapse, and Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma comfortably guided India home. The result also gave Harmanpreet another landmark. She fittingly sealed the victory with a six down the ground. The result extended India’s dominance in the T20 Asia Cup, with the Indian women now having seven wins over Pakistan’s one in the tournament’s history. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
India had entered the contest looking for some valuable match practice before the semi-finals, but Pakistan’s batting collapse turned the fixture into another one-sided affair.
Shafali Verma’s Dismissal Amid Team’s 55-Run Performance Raises Eyebrows
During a recent match, the team scored a total of 55 runs, yet Shafali Verma was sent back to the pavilion, prompting commentary from analyst Razdan. “Okay, you are showing her the way out. Your entire team just scored 55 runs, and now you’re sending Shafali Verma back,” he remarked on air, highlighting the puzzling decision in the context of the team’s performance.