Pakistan will face Nepal in an exciting Group A clash of the 2024 Women's Asia Cup at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on July 21.
Pakistan hasn’t had the best start to the tournament, having lost to India by seven wickets in the opening match.
The Girls in Green struggled as they couldn’t handle the impactful brilliance of Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh with the ball. They were bowled out for just 108 runs, and India chased down the modest total inside 15 overs.
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana scored 40 and 45 runs, respectively, which saw India move to the top of the Group A table with 2 points and a positive net run rate.
But Nepal may appear to be a relatively weaker opponent, and Pakistan cannot afford to take things for granted in this highly competitive tournament.
On the other hand, Nepal started the tournament on a high note with a six-wicket victory over UAE.
Nepal's captain, Indu Barma, claimed three wickets and bowled economically, restricting UAE to 115 runs in their innings.
During the chase, opener Samjhana Khadka delivered a match-winning performance, scoring 72 runs from just 45 balls, enabling Nepal to chase down the target in under 17 overs.
With this momentum, Nepal are well-positioned to give Pakistan tough challenge. Both teams are well-matched, making the encounter finely poised. Nepal simply needs to keep their composure and handle the pressure to secure a win over Pakistan.
Match time
PST: 6:30pm
GMT: 1:30pm
Local time: 7:00pm
Likely lineups
Pakistan Women: Sidra Ameen, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Iram Javed, Fatima Sana, Tuba Hassan, Sadia Iqbal, Nashra Sandhu, Syeda Aroob Shah
Nepal Women: Rubina Chhetry, Sita Rana Magar, Bindu Rawal, Indu Barma (c), Kajal Shrestha (wk), Kabita Kunwar, Kabita Joshi, Puja Mahato, Samjhana Khadka, Kritika Marasini, Sabnam Rai
Prediction
The match is expected to be an intriguing contest but Pakistan hold the upper hand because of experience, Nepal's spirited approach and emerging talents could make it a thrilling encounter. Regardless, we expect Pakistan to win their first game of the competition.
