Pakistan bounce back from Thailand defeat by beating India for first time since 2016

Pakistan beat India by 13 runs in the Women's Asia Cup in Sylhet on Friday after a batting collapse from the Indian team saw them being all out for 124 in 19.4 overs in a chase of 138.

Nida Dar struck an entertaining fifty to push Pakistan to 137/6 in the first innings.

Pakistan, who were shocked by Thailand on Thursday, put an improved batting performance against the Indians. Dar (56 not out off 37 balls) and skipper Bismah Maroof (32 off 35) shared a crucial 76 run stand off 58 balls to give the innings a much needed move on. Dar was the pick of Pakistan batters as she used her feet well, especially against the spinners, to get the much needed big hits.

Off spinner Deepti Sharma (3/27) stood out among India's bowlers. She was not afraid to give some loop to the ball, helping her deceive Pakistan opener Muneeba Ali (17) that resulted in getting stumps. Omaima Sohil fell two balls later as she was found trapped in front of the stumps while attempting a sweep.

Bismah got lucky on 8 with the umpire turning down Rajeshwari Gayakwad's appeal for what it appeared a clear lbw dismissal.

India's fielding was found wanting on more than a few occasions with substitute Shafali Verma missing an easy stumping behind the stumps.

India's chase never managed to get off to a start, and even though Richa Ghosh's 13-ball 26 gave some late hope, it was too little too late.

Both India and Pakistan are now tied at the top of the Asia Cup points table with 6 points from 4 matches, with two group matches left to play.

Prior this game, India enjoyed a 10-2 record over Pakistan in T20Is, whose previous win over the arch-rivals came way back in the 2016 T20 World Cup in New Delhi.

At 65 for five, India were in all sorts of trouble with majority of the batters including star player Smriti Mandhana (17 off 19) throwing their wickets away. Pooja Vastrakar got herself run out after attempting a run off a misfield while Dayalan Hemalatha (20 off 22) let her team down after not capitalising on a start.

Questions were raised over Harmanpreet Kaur's fitness as she came into bat at number seven before perishing cheaply.

"I think in the middle we were trying to give other batters a chance. That cost us today. It was a chaseable target. In the middle overs, we were not able to rotate the strike," a dejected Harmanpreet said after the match.

(With PTI inputs)