India dispatched a demure Pakistan by 107 runs after a record stand by Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana crushed amid-innings depression in their Women’s Cricket World Cup clash at Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
The first clash between the Asian rivals since India’s palm in the 2017 World Cup ended with Pakistan all out in the 43rd over for 137 in reply to India’s 244 for seven.
India had prevailed in all 10 former one- day matches between the two, but Bismah Maroof’s platoon hovered to pull off an worried when they reduced Mithali Raj’s side to 114-6 in the 34th over.
Nature Smriti Mandhana made 52 but it wascounter-attacking knocks from lower- order batters Vastrakar (67) and Rana, who made unbeaten 53, that helped India to a decent aggregate of 244-7.
Vastrakar, the player of the match, wrapped 67 off 59 deliveries before she was sailed by Fatima Sana at the launch of the final over while Rana was unbeaten on 53 off 48.
While it was a comprehensive palm for India, captain Mithali Raj said there was plenitude to work on if they were to make the playoffs.
“ A veritably important cooperation there between Pooja and Sneh brought us to the aggregate we put on the board, but that’s commodity we’d like to address, because when you start playing the event, it’s important that your top order scores runs,” she said.
At the top of the order for India, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma contributed 52 and 40 independently and, along with Vastrakar and Rana, the quintet handed all but 32 of their aggregate.
Pakistan didn’t help their cause by giving down 11 extras including three in a nine-ball over from Fatima Sana that included two wides and a no ball.
While the needed run rate was under five an over, Pakistan fell off the pace from the launch and after seven overs had only eight runs on the board.
At the halfway stage, they were 78 for five, compared to India’s 100 for three, and floundering to manage with the spin of Rajeshwari Gayakwad and the superb glovework of 18- time-old Richa Ghosh behind the wholes.
The stager left-armer Gayakwad took four for 31 off her 10 overs while teenager Ghosh had a hand in five discharges with four catches and a stumping.
Bismah said Pakistan couldn’t capitalise on the strong launch and let India off the hook.
“ We gave down easy runs to them, we were sloppy on the field, we did not put them under pressure,” she said. “ Our fur has to ameliorate, our shot selection was not good, we’ll work on it ahead of the coming game.”
