As the Indian women’s cricket team prepared to face Pakistan in their ICC Women’s World Cup match in Colombo, T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav delivered a bold message to Harmanpreet Kaur and her squad.
In a pre-match video message, Suryakumar emphasized that a one-sided record doesn’t constitute a true rivalry. “I’ll again say rivalry is when the competition is neck to neck. 11-0 is not a rivalry. If our women’s team focuses on playing good cricket, it will be 12-0,” he declared, setting an ambitious target for the team.
Suryakumar Yadav rallied behind Team India Women ahead of their crucial ICC Women’s World Cup fixture against Pakistan.
India’s women have historically dominated their rivals in One Day Internationals, boasting a flawless 11-0 head-to-head record against Pakistan. When batting first, their average winning margin stands at an impressive 138 runs. In successful chases, they typically win by an average of eight wickets with a significant 26 overs to spare. Their supremacy extends to the Women’s World Cups, where they hold a 4-0 advantage.
This sentiment echoes Suryakumar’s earlier remarks following the Indian men’s team’s recent triumphs over Pakistan in the Asia Cup, where they secured three victories, including a dominant six-wicket win in the Super 4 clash on September 21. Following that match, he had publicly downplayed the “rivalry” narrative, stating, “You guys should stop asking questions about the rivalry between India-Pakistan. According to me, if two teams play 15-20 matches, and if it is even, then it is a rivalry. 10-0, 10-1, I don’t know what the stat is, but this is not a rivalry anymore. I think we played better cricket than them (Pakistan), and also from a bowling point of view.”
His message to the women’s squad clearly conveyed the expectation to maintain this streak of excellence. At the toss, Pakistan’s captain Fatima Sana elected to bowl first, citing overcast conditions. “We’re going to bowl first, looks like there could be some moisture on the wicket. One change for us – Sadaf Shamas replaces Omaima Sohail. Our confidence is great, hopefully we’ll play better today. Anything under 250 could be a good chase,” she commented.
Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur confirmed her team’s readiness and focus, despite one unavoidable player change. “We played a good series here before the World Cup. We’re thinking positively and are looking to do well. One unfortunate change – Amanjot isn’t playing (she’s ill), Renuka Thakur replaces her. We’ve gelled well as a team and looking forward to today’s contest,” she stated.
Adding a touch of tension to the highly anticipated encounter, both captains notably refrained from shaking hands during the toss, a gesture that mirrored a similar stance adopted by their male counterparts in the Asia Cup.