3 reasons why Pakistan could upset India at the Women's T20 World Cup

The stage is set for the marquee clash between India and Pakistan at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 on Sunday, February 12, at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town.

This will be the second contest in Group B after England and the West Indies open their campaign on Saturday, February 11. While neither Asian giants have lifted the Women's T20 World Cup title to date, India have won four of their six encounters against Pakistan in the competition's history.

In a volatile format like the T20, every game ends up having large-scale ramifications on a team's hopes of qualifying further. To that end, neither team can afford a slip-up once they stride out to the middle on Sunday.

Here, we look at three reasons why Pakistan could upset their arch-rivals in their T20 World Cup clash.

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#1 They will feel confident having defeated India at the Asia Cup

The only match India lost en route to the Women's Asia Cup 2022 crown was their bout against Pakistan. On a slow deck in Sylhet, Nida Dar's all-round heroics proved too hot to handle for the Women in Blue as they lost the contest by 13 runs.

India are undoubtedly the powerhouse among Asian teams as far as women's cricket goes. For Pakistan to be able to pull off a victory like that for just the third time in their history in the format took something really special.

There's no denying that Bismah Maroof and Co. will feel stoked and confident with the memories from that contest still staying with them. This could turbocharge them towards pulling off another famous win in their T20 World Cup clash in Cape Town, on what could be a slow deck.

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#2 Smriti Mandhana's likely absence could hamper the Women in Blue

Smriti Mandhana is nursing a finger injury, with reports suggesting that her participation in Sunday's clash remains highly doubtful. The Indian vice-captain remains the team's most prolific batter, with her unparalleled consistency playing a pivotal role in winning games aplenty over the years.

Pakistan have first-hand experience of the damage that the southpaw can inflict, having been subjected to a difficult time in their Commonwealth Games clash against their arch-rivals last year.

With skipper Harmanpreet Kaur also grappling with a shoulder injury - although she should take the field on Sunday - this puts immense pressure on the rest of the pack to stand up.

Mandhana's likely absence will remain a massive blow to the Women in Blue and this could provide a psychological advantage to their opponents ahead of their T20 World Cup opener.

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#3 Pakistan have nothing to lose and can come out playing with freedom

The pressure of an Indo-Pak clash is undeniably massive, with fans all around the world having their eyes firmly trained on the players in action. Given that this is a T20 World Cup contest, it only adds to the buzz and thrill around the same.

However, the gulf in quality between the two sides is oceanic, apart from the rivalry being lopsided over the years. India overwhelmingly outdo their subcontinental rivals to that end, but this could end up adding more pressure on them to live up to that reputation.

What this could do is see the Pakistan side come out with a fearless approach where they take the game head-on, rather than being engulfed by the pressure of the occasion.

They might just throw caution to the wind and enjoy the contest, potentially bringing out the best in them to pull off an upset.

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Will Pakistan be able to pull off an upset over India at the T20 World Cup? Have your say in the comments section below!

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