12-0 as India continue their unchallenged dominance against Pakistan women as they win by 89 runs in Colombo.
Kranti, Deepti seal another big win against Pakistan as India’s dominance continues, making it 12-0 vs Pakistan in ODIs.
India defeated Pakistan for 159 in their chase of 248 at the Women’s World Cup in Khettarama, led by Kranti Goud, who took 3 for 20.
With 12 victories in 12 ODIs versus Pakistan, the outcome further cemented India’s supremacy. While Pakistan has lost both of their tournament games thus far, it also moved India to the top of the points standings, ahead of Australia.
Pakistan was unable to take advantage of India’s carelessness in the field and never managed to keep up with the necessary tempo while pursuing. Sidra Amin gave Pakistan a ray of hope by holding one end up with 81 off 106, but her removal essentially put an end to Pakistan’s struggle.
India’s Batting
Richa Ghosh hammered 35 not out off 20 from No. 8 to help India to 247, the greatest total in women’s ODIs without a fifty-plus stand, on a surface where all other Indian batsmen struggled to score. During the innings break, Harleen Deol led India in scoring with 46, and Pakistan’s five bowlers failed to give India the advantage on what Jemimah Rodrigues called a “not an easy pitch” for batting.
Pakistan lost an early review because the replays showed that Baig’s ball had pitched outside leg, but there was no lbw shout against Smriti Mandhana. However, Mandhana found it difficult to get going, particularly when against Sana, who primarily bowled tight lines that prevented her from scoring off-side. After 23 she was lbw to an inswinger from Sana.
Pakistan continued to increase the pressure on the dot-ball. Before being undone by an arm ball from Sadia Iqbal, Pratika Rawal struck 31 from 37 balls. India had played out 78 dots at the end of 20 overs.
It was up to Deol to capitalise on her start as captain Harmanpreet Kaur also fell without much of an impact, leaving India 106 for 3 in 25 overs. After Baig had Rodrigues caught behind for two, India appeared to be in even more trouble, but it was a no-ball.
In an attempt to increase the ante, India sent in Sneh Rana at No. 7, ahead of Ghosh. Ghosh ended up in the middle after she struggled to break clear and holed out for 20 off 33. Despite wickets falling all around her, Ghosh continued to punish the quick bowlers by hitting Sana’s slower delivery over wide long-on. Goud added two boundaries in the last over of the innings to help India reach an above-average total after she took 13 runs off Baig in the 48th over.
Sidra shines, but Pakistan falter
In an attempt to reverse a lbw ruling against Muneeba Ali, India burned a review with the opening ball of the chase.
Muneeba was run-out under peculiar circumstances in the fourth over. Muneeba was not trying to score when India requested that Goud bowl him out. Before Deepti Sharma’s throw from the slip cordon, Muneeba had already grounded her bat behind the crease as soon as the appeal was raised. However, replays showed that when Deepti’s throw had dislodged the bails, she had momentarily lifted her bat off the ground once again without grounding any other part of her body behind the line. Sana, the captain of Pakistan, was seen conversing with the fourth umpire close to the rope during the brief halt caused by the judgement.
Goud kept India under control by expertly balancing her pace and lengths. She had Aliya Riyaz caught at second slip after bowling Sadaf Shamas, leaving Pakistan at 26 for 3 in 11.1 overs.
Amin was fortunate to get off to a good start with a boundary. When batting on eight, she avoided an LBW shout because India chose not to review; the replays eventually showed three reds on ball-tracking. Soon after, Ghosh dropped an edge off her. While batting on 12, N Sree Charani also came quite close to catching and bowling her. However, Amin was unable to score runs at will against India’s quicks.
After that, Amin was able to get help from Natalia Pervais, who made 33 out of 46. By the time Amin reached her fifty off 82 balls, Pakistan’s needed run rate had skyrocketed to eight. India quickly ended Pakistan’s innings as Amin gave in to the pressure of that asking rate, leaving Pakistan at 150 for 8.