India’s slow chase in their Women’s T20 World Cup match against Pakistan left former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar disappointed, despite the crucial victory. India chased Pakistan’s target of 105 in 18.5 overs, securing a six-wicket win but remained at the fifth spot in Group A due to their negative Net Run Rate (NRR). Pakistan, with an NRR of +0.555, is ranked third despite having the same points as India.
India’s NRR Struggle
India’s run rate became a key concern after their sluggish chase. With an NRR of -1.217, India is now behind Pakistan and Australia in Group A, needing more comprehensive victories in upcoming matches to stay competitive.
Manjrekar, speaking on Star Sports, expressed his dissatisfaction with India’s cautious approach during the chase, emphasizing that they should have been more aggressive to improve their NRR.
“A bittersweet win for India,” he remarked, adding that the team will face a challenge in catching up with New Zealand, who currently top the group with an NRR of +2.900.
Manjrekar hinted that while the win was important, a faster chase could have helped India in the long run.
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With Australia and New Zealand performing well, India’s chances of advancing hinge on both victories and boosting their NRR in future games.
Harmanpreet’s Injury Worry
In addition to the NRR challenge, India faced another setback as captain Harmanpreet Kaur retired hurt due to a neck injury.
She was the only batter in the match to score at a strike rate of over 100, making 29 off 24 balls. While opener Shafali Verma top-scored with 32 off 35 balls, the team’s slow scoring was a concern.
Smriti Mandhana, who contributed only 7 runs, admitted after the match that India could have had a better start, and NRR was certainly on their minds throughout the chase.
India will look to improve in their next match against Sri Lanka on October 9, hoping to not only win but also accelerate their run rate to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
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