After winning the ODI World Cup last year, India started their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan with high expectations. India’s opening batsmen Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma will be closely watched. Both are among the most dangerous players in women’s cricket, but recent form has not been consistent. After scoring 82 against Australia in Adelaide, Mandhana’s next six scores were 13, 12, 37, 0, 32 and 8.
Shafali’s return has also been modest. After scoring 64 against South Africa in Johannesburg, she scored 9, 4, 2, 22 and 11 in her next five innings. India know that a strong start often makes the difference in T20 cricket. If Mandhana and Shafali can fire together, India can immediately put Pakistan under pressure and provide a platform for the middle order to push forward.
