The rivalry may not be as intense as it is in men’s cricket but both India women and their Pakistan counterparts will not be sparing even an inch when they face off at Edgbaston in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) on Sunday.

Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof carrying her infant daughter (Fatima) and posing with Harmanpreet Kaur and a few other Indian cricketers after the Women’s World Cup game earlier this year was one of the defining images of the India-Pakistan rivalry in women’s cricket.

The players obviously share a very cordial relationship among themselves with the rivalry restricted only on the field. Given the circumstances, the focus will be more on earning full points from Sunday’s crucial contest for both teams.

India and Pakistan have both lost their opening matches to Australia and Barbados, respectively. That makes Sunday’s game all the more important as the two teams cannot afford another slip-up to remain in contention for a medal.

Quality-wise, India are certainly ahead of Pakistan. But Harmanpreet and her teammates will need to be careful about cashing in on the favourable situations and not letting them slip again, just as they did versus Australia on Friday. If the Indians get their basics right and don’t squander the key moments, they should be having few reasons to worry.

Match starts: 3.30pm IST. Live on Sony Six