The tagline for the Commonwealth Games is “Friendly Games.” India and Pakistan cricketers have taken this to heart until Sunday. In women’s cricket, an all-for-one friendship was used for the first time in Birmingham. This made the most heated rivalry in sports less intense. But when India beat Pakistan at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, their sisterhood was put aside so that India could get into the medal round. Rain cut the match short, and India needed 100 runs to win. Smriti Mandhana hit an unbeaten 63 to help them get there with 38 balls left. India and Pakistan play cricket ‘Friendly Games’ is news of the day. Read out the complete details down below with us!
India and Pakistan play cricket ‘Friendly Games’
Muneeba Ali’s 30-ball 32 helped Pakistan get back on track after losing their first batsman, Iram Javed, for a duck. But they were still only able to score 99 runs after 18 overs. India and Pakistan both lost their first games. So they went into the stadium knowing that a loss would end any medal hopes. This added weight to a match that didn’t need it. If India beats Barbados on Wednesday, they will be in the semi-finals.
Pakistan, on the other hand, needs to beat Australia and get a lot of help in tiebreakers if they want to move on. England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand, the top two teams in Group B, will join the top two teams from Group A in the final four. Even though men’s cricket is the main focus, women’s cricket is becoming a bigger part of the rivalry between India and Pakistan.
Most people watched the game at Edgbaston oval because Birmingham is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the UK. There are a lot of Indian and Pakistani people living there. Instead of the usual excitement that comes before a men’s conference, dads and moms brought their kids to the festivities outside the stadium on a rainy morning. Throughout the game, both the players and the people watching cheered. No one was setting themselves on fire at Edgbaston after India lost, but the smiles on the faces of the Indian fans showed that their flight home would be brighter than when they lost in the past.
