NEW DELHI: Defending champions India will be looking to perfect their strategy and reach the semi-finals when they take on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Women’s Asia Cup on Sunday. Fresh from a commanding seven-wicket win over Pakistan, India will be looking to maintain their momentum with two points and a net run-rate (NRR) of +2.29.
A win against UAE will take India’s points tally to four, which will have a positive impact on their NRR and further consolidate their position in the tournament.
India’s strategy against the UAE is to hone their own tactics rather than focusing on the opposition. Their bowlers, especially Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar, performed brilliantly against Pakistan, much to the satisfaction of the management. Though Pooja Vastrakar was slightly overpriced, her overall contribution was great. Moreover, the team is hoping for left-arm spinner Radha Yadav to perform well in the next match after making her comeback in the home series against South Africa.
“I was feeling good and the weather helped me and of course we were able to execute all the plans that we had been working on in the nets,” Renuka Singh told PTI at the post-match press conference.
India’s batsmen displayed an aggressive approach against Pakistan, reaching the target with 35 balls to spare. Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana built a strong foundation with an 85-run partnership in just 9.3 overs. Despite losing three wickets thereafter, the performance raised hopes of a more consistent performance from the middle-order, starting with the UAE match.
The Asia Cup is also a key preparation for India ahead of the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year, and Renuka Singh emphasised the importance of the event as a preparation ground for the ICC’s flagship tournament.
“The Asia Cup is important for us because after this (before the T20 World Cup) we don’t have many matches and we have to rely on practice. So, this is a learning experience for us and the situation (in Bangladesh) could be similar. So, this is a good opportunity for us to prepare for the World Cup,” she said.
“While India are focused on their future goals, they must remain focused on the current match. The UAE showed their potential despite facing a close six-wicket defeat to Nepal on Friday. This performance shows that they are capable of taking on big challenges.
In the second match of the day, Pakistan will be looking to bounce back from their loss to India with a win against a tough Nepalese side.
India will be hoping to maintain their dominant form, stay focused on their game plan and use this tournament as a vital warm-up for the upcoming T20 World Cup to continue their winning streak and secure a place in the semi-finals.
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