India A Hammer Pakistan A in Asia Cup Rising Stars Clash

India A produced a dominant display with both ball and bat to outplay Pakistan A by eight wickets in their Group A fixture of the ACC Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026 at the Terdthai Cricket Ground on Sunday.

India A Overpower Pakistan A in Bangkok

After being put in to bat, Pakistan A endured a disastrous start as India’s pace attack struck early. Saima Thakor removed key batters in the powerplay, reducing Pakistan to 21 for 4 and putting them on the back foot from the outset.

Captain Radha Yadav then tightened India’s grip on the contest. She dismissed Huraina Sajjad and Shawaal Zulfiqar in quick succession, leaving Pakistan struggling at 41 for 6 midway through the innings. Prema Rawat added to the pressure with a disciplined spell, ensuring there was little room for recovery.

A brief resistance came from Gull Rukh (21) and Anosha Nasir (17), who stitched together a 25-run stand for the eighth wicket. However, the effort proved insufficient as Pakistan A were bowled out for 93 in 18.5 overs, with Jintimani Kalita and Minnu Mani also contributing with a wicket each.

Vrinda, Anushka Steer Comfortable Chase

Chasing a modest target, India A suffered an early jolt when Humaira Kazi was dismissed off the first ball. The setback, however, only triggered a strong response.

Anushka Sharma and Vrinda Dinesh rebuilt the innings with intent, counter-attacking Pakistan’s bowlers and shifting momentum decisively. India raced to 63 for 1 inside the powerplay, effectively taking the game out of reach.

Anushka played a steady hand with 24 off 26 deliveries, while Vrinda dominated the scoring. She reached her half-century in just 25 balls and finished with a brisk 55 off 29, anchoring the chase with authority.

Tejal Hasabnis then wrapped up proceedings in style, striking a six and a boundary to seal the win in just 10.1 overs.

Points Table Boost And Next Challenge

The victory lifted India A to second place in Group A with two points from as many matches. After losing their opener to the UAE, the side bounced back impressively and will next face Nepal at the same venue on February 17.

No Pre-Match Handshake Again

The match also drew attention for the absence of a pre-match handshake between the two teams — a practice that has become increasingly common in India-Pakistan fixtures across levels since last year’s tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Interestingly, the development came on the same day the senior men’s sides were preparing for a high-profile encounter in Colombo during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Captains from both countries had earlier avoided making definitive comments on the handshake issue, saying clarity would emerge on match day.

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