"Difference was two powerplays": Pakistan skipper Nida Dar on loss against India in Women's Asia Cup

DAMBULLA [Sri Lanka]: Following the defeat against India in the Women's Asia Cup 2024, Pakistan Women skipper Nida Dar revealed the reason behind her side's loss against the arch-rivals. Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma's exceptional batting performances guided India to an easy victory over arch-rivals by seven wickets in the second match of the Women's Asia Cup 2024 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Friday.

The 37-year-old Nida Dar stated that the main thing in the match is the powerplay. If you win the powerplay, you will win the game.

"The difference was the two powerplays, that's where we lost. We struggled in the batting and the positive out of it is the bowling unit - they did well. We have to get together and talk about plans for the next game. The main thing is powerplays; if you win powerplays, you win games. We have watched the wicket and we will plan better for the next matches," Dar said in the post-match presentation.

Recapping the match, after Pakistan elected to bat first, wickets kept falling for them regularly, with Sidra Ameen (25 in 35 balls with three fours), Tuba Hassan (22 in 19 balls with three fours) and Fatima Sana (22* in 16 balls, with four and two sixes) playing some decent knocks. Deepti Sharma (3/20) was the top bowler for India along with Shreyanka Patil (2/14) and Renuka Singh (2/14).

Pooja Vastrakar also got two wickets. In the run chase, India started well with an 85-run stand between Shafali Varma (40 in 29 balls, with six fours and a six) and Smriti Mandhana (45 in 31 balls with nine fours).

India lost some wickets in between but recovered just in time to win the game by seven wickets and 35 balls left.