"India will start as favorites" - Aakash Chopra on their Women's T20 World Cup 2023 clash against Pakistan

Aakash Chopra believes India will start as favorites in their Women's T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan.

The two sides will lock horns in a Group B fixture in Cape Town on Sunday, February 12. Although Harmanpreet Kaur's side have generally enjoyed an upper hand against their neighbors, the unavailability of Smriti Mandhana due to injury has weakened the Women in Blue slightly.

While previewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that India should come out on top but added that they cannot take their opponents lightly, saying:

"It is an India-Pakistan World Cup game. Lose anything else but not this match, and we will not lose as well. Our team is strong. India will start as favorites, that is the usual thing, but you can't take any match lightly and an India-Pakistan match in any case."

While speaking about India's bowling, Chopra expects Renuka Singh to deliver the goods with the new ball, reasoning:

"When it comes to bowling, they (India) will look towards Renuka Singh Thakur. When you are playing in South Africa and Pakistan are in front of you, you expect that you can trap them with swing. Then our left-arm pacer, there will be focus on her."

Apart from Renuka, India are likely to play Pooja Vastrakar as a seam-bowling all-rounder. It will be interesting to see if they opt for the experienced Shikha Pandey or the left-arm angle of Anjali Sarvani if they play a third seamer.

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"I have great expectations from Devika Vaidya" - Aakash Chopra

Devika Vaidya excelled as a spin-bowling all-rounder in the home series against Australia.

Chopra expects Devika Vaidya to shine in the spin-bowling department, stating:

"You will see Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Devika Vaidya in the spin department. I have great expectations from Devika Vaidya because she has something. She had almost left cricket and then staged a comeback. She hasn't looked back since she returned."

The cricketer-turned-commentator feels Devika's leg-spin bowling could come in handy against Pakistan, observing:

"She is a livewire. She gives flight to the bowl and leg-spinners can pick up wickets. So that will be one thing, although she hasn't got that much help from South African pitches, she hasn't enjoyed that much success. But when the match is against Pakistan, you expect that she is going to be the one."

Devika picked up four wickets and scored a few crucial runs in her comeback T20I series against Australia. However, she snared just a couple of wickets and didn't get to bat much in the recently concluded tri-series against South Africa and West Indies.