It wasn't touted to be the match of the year, let alone month, week or even day. Yet, that's exactly what it turned into as an unfancied Indian Women's side caused a stir in the Women's T20 World Cup teapot by beating hosts and four-time title winners, Australia, by 17 runs on the opening day of the World Cup. While the contest was closely fought through most parts, impeccable planning and diligent execution from the India Women played a role in the win. Here's dissecting how they bridled the Aussies.

Using the powerplay and masking their weakness

The tri-series had given India an idea on how to push the Aussies into a corner. In the lone match where they beat the Aussie women's side, Shafali Verma started off with a blast and made a 28-ball 49. Mandhana followed suit with a 48-ball 55. The duo made 70 runs in six overs to set the stage for a brilliant run-chase. Here again, the duo adopted a similar approach of going on the offensive early. Shafali's free stroke play had the Aussies on the back-foot early on. The idea was to keep going for their shots to maximise the powerplay to hide their fallacies in the middle-order. Given a decent base, the middle-order can navigate through the middle overs without trying to up the ante much.

Aim at a par score

Even if India did get off to a great start courtesy some extraordinary ball-striking from Shafali, the wickets of the openers in successive overs pushed India back. To further their downfall, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was out to a horrendous shot to leave India reeling. Given the onus to put on a 150-plus score, India may not have coped much criticism had they carried on with their merry ways. Instead, the 150 plan was chucked altogether and the team focused on a smaller target, with Jemimah Rodriques and Deepti Sharma building a patient stand of 53 in nearly 10 overs. It seemed like India were going nowhere with their innings but the plan was to get to a par score and leave the rest to the bowling attack.

Contain with spin in the powerplay

Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney have been terrorising sides with their own attacking style early in an innings. Since 2018, the duo are the third fastest opening pair in Women's T20Is, scoring at a frenetic pace of 8.27. They have also stitched together eight half-century stands in this time frame. Scoring consistently and quickly is the hallmark of a great opening pair in T20s and Healy and Mooney represent the ideal pair in the women's game. Containing them was a huge task for India, particularly with a low total on board. Rather than trying to play to the pitch, India stuck to their strengths and opened with spin from either end. Deepti continued her spell through powerplay overs while Shikha Pandey took over from the other end. Only 33 runs came from the first powerplay as India strangled the Aussie openers, a task seemingly impossible for a lot of other teams. The wicket of Mooney was a bonus, but there was still more work to be done.

The Poonam - Taniya partnership

Breaking Australia's resolve and long middle-order needed a magical streak and Poonam Yadav produced just that. Her injury in the tri-series proved to be a blessing in disguise as the Aussie batters seemed unsure about how to handle her wrong 'uns. India had worked out that Poonam would be their surprise weapon before the game, evident from the fact that they held her back until the 10th over of the innings, soon after Meg Lanning's dismissal. In the first 9 overs, Australia had made just 58 runs, a result of India strangling them early on without trying too much for wickets.

When Poonam entered the attack, Australia had no option but to try and take her on. The required run-rate had closed in on seven and the presence of Healy - who boasts of a T20I strike rate of 170-plus in 2019 - gave them the confidence to take Poonam on. This plan was shattered in her first over as Healy looked to take her on again shortly after clubbing a six. Rachael Haynes was done in by a brilliant googly as Taniya Bhatia, prepared for such an occurrence, pulled off a brilliant stumping. To the unmatchable Ellyse Perry, Poonam had the wrong 'un up her sleeve again and cleaned her up. With Jess Jonassen's wicket, Australia were derailed completely as Bhatia, as much as Poonam, was involved in the demise of the hosts.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / PETER PARKS 

With little knowledge of conditions and a team devoid of too much experience, Pakistan arrive for the Women's T20 World Cup in Australia. Pakistan have never made it past the first round of Women's T20 World Cups and this year their first hurdle would be to jump past this history. In 24 matches over six editions, Pakistan have won just six games and lost 18 matches, as evident a sign as any that the format isn't for them.

Squad

Bismah Maroof (c), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riyaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Khan, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Syeda Aroob Shah

Strength

Pakistan have a reasonably good batting core with Bismah Maroof, Aliya Riyaz and Nida Dar in decent form since 2019. While Maroof averages 40+ in the format in this time frame, Dar has three half-centuries and strikes at a pretty good rate. Javeria Khan is another batswoman capable of holding her own in any situation. The batting group remains Pakistan's biggest strength as they head into this T20 World Cup. 

Weakness

Except Nida Dar, who has played WBBL, nobody has had too much exposure to Australian pitches and conditions. That in itself could be a big drawback for Pakistan as they head into another World Cup. They have dropped senior player Sana Mir for this event, a bold call considering that she could have handled some of the youngsters in the side or offered stability in times of turmoil.

Opportunity

Bismah Maroof is the most experienced figure in this Pakistan squad and is a fine leader who knows to lead from the front. Her returns in T20Is and ODIs have been impressive and in her Pakistan have a decent example to take cues from. In a rather poor outing against England, Maroof was the standout player with three half-centuries in six matches.

 Threat

Nida Dar has experience of Australian conditions after PCB gave her the leeway to play in the WBBL by skipping International commitments. While her bowling numbers were impressive, Dar couldn't quite make an impact with the bat and ended up with just 99 runs for Sydney Thunder in over 10 games. If her batting form is similar in the World Cup, Pakistan might struggle.

Feature image courtesy: AFP/ ASIF HASSAN 

No team that has the likes of Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine will be a mere pushover and that essentially is what makes the White Ferns confident ahead of the T20 World Cup. Since finishing as the runners up in successive tournaments in 2009 and 2010, the White Ferns have performed below par. They finished as semi-finalists in 2012 and 2016 but exited in the first round last T20 World Cup.

Squad

Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Holly Huddleston, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin, Katie Perkins, Anna Peterson, Rachel Priest, Lea Tahuhu

Strength

Two real superstar cricketers, Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine, carry the White Ferns and have been carrying them through the six T20 tournaments they have played so far. Bates and Devine's form will decide if New Zealand will have a bad tournament. But for them to have a great tournament, the other players too need to step up. Luckily, the Kerr sisters are in fine form with Amelia and Jess shining in the Women's Suepr Smash. Jess finished as the top wicket-taker with 20 wickets in the latest edition and will be a good x-factor bowler for them this tournament.

Weakness

Picking up wickets has been an issue for the New Zealand women who struggled in this aspect in the recent series against South Africa women. They were defeated in three matches and performed well below par suggesting how their plans could go awry if the bowlers do not complement the experienced batters. They need their other team members to punch above their weight this tournament.

Opportunity

That they play in conditions very similar to what they get at home could favour the White Ferns who struggled in the last tournament in the Caribbean Islands. The nature of pitches and weather conditions remain familiar to them and their pace bowling all-rounders and handy bowling assets could just punch together to lift them from the group stages after which Bates and Devine are truly capable of single-handedly giving them a rare trophy.

Threat

Leigh Kasperek is a senior customer with the ball and her form will be vital to White Ferns' chances. She has taken more T20I wickets than all but Devine for New Zealand Women. 17 of her 58 wickets have come in T20 World Cups. The spinner was the joint top wicket-taker in the 2016 World Cup where the White Ferns made the semis. Her economy rate and how she pairs up with Amelia Kerr could well decide how New Zealand dictate games in the middle overs.

Feature image courtesy: AFP/ MICHAEL BRADLEY