DHAKA: If the marquee clash of the men's World T20 is taking place in Kolkata, then Delhi is where the up-and-comers face up on the undercard.
On Saturday, cricket’s fiercest rivals will face-off for only the seventh time in a women’s Twenty20 international.
The head-to-head results tell the story: India Women have won five of the previous six T20I matches against Pakistan Women.
They are also undefeated in eight ODI encounters. India got off the mark in this tournament with a 72-run win over Bangladesh.
Pakistan, hamstrung by the political knockabout above their heads, fell valiantly to West Indies, having prepared with just one net session.
While another India win looks a formality, it’s worth noting that Pakistan's sole victory came when the two teams met in the 2012 Women's World T20. Even the Pakistan men’s team have not bested India in either a World Cup or a World T20.
Much has changed since that one-run thriller in Galle. For starters, India exacted revenge in 2014 by six runs. Also, Saturday's game will be the first India-Pakistan women’s match where players on both sides are in possession of central contracts.
This year marked the start of the professional era in Indian women's cricket. Given the financial clout of the BCCI, “better late than never” doesn't quite fly. Still, 11 cricketers are being paid between Rs 10-15 lakh (approx. $15,000 and $22,500) - much better than nothing for a crop of players from humble backgrounds.
The PCB was quicker on the draw, taking the plunge on central contracts in 2011, spurred on by a gold in the 2010 Asian Games and rewarded 19 players with deals. This year, 22 were given deals, split into four different categories.
Pakistan’s results in that period have been sketchy at best. Their overall T20I record stands at 27 wins from 66 matches. But the development of players such as Anam Amin and Javeria Khan (sadly ruled out of the tournament after breaking her thumb in the opener against West Indies) are good signs of progression. All captain Sana Mir wants now is patience.
“Women’s cricket is growing. We’ve made wonderful progress as a team, which is a great sign for cricketers and organizers. We have a great combination in our team where the roles of seniors are well-defined and for juniors as well. If we are patient, the hype will come in the following years.”
For India captain Mithali Raj, her long-term focus is slightly different. The BCCI is a board whose ambitions fall short of those of its female players.
They were notable absentees at this season's Women’s Big Bash League, which showcased the best of the rest of the world.
The players admired enviously from afar. They know they need to be flawless on the field if they are to be heard by their own board and the Indian public.
“We cannot be complacent tomorrow,” says Raj, "because people have not really seen the women play. This is probably the first time they’ll see us live on television.
“The way ahead is only when the next series is televised as well. If you don’t televise a series after the World T20, then people will lose interest. Because the more you have (the) interest of people, the more curious people will be to follow women's cricket, and that's how we can garner attention and market the sport.”
Both captains expect a tense game. Mir doesn’t think it'll be as feisty as the first time these sides met, though she wants her players hold their nerve in front of what she hopes will be a sizeable crowd.
She declined to state if Pakistan will go with 17 overs of spin again. Raj wants her charges to pick up where they left off and focus on clearing the ropes as they did against Bangladesh. Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy will focus on bringing the fireworks.
And both captains agree on another point: this is a game that Asian women's cricket needs to be proud of. One that, in the near future, will be given the focus of a true marquee fixture. For now, the historic rivalry almost plays second fiddle.
Source: espncricinfo.com
BDST: 1751, HRS, MAR 19, 2016
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