India vs Pakistan: Mithali’s girls thrash archrivals in World Cup opener

The Indian women’s cricket team thrashed arch-rivals Pakistan by 107 runs in their opening match of the ICC Women’s World Cup at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui in New Zealand on Sunday (March 6).

After winning the toss, India chose to bat. Opener Smriti Mandhana, Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar scored significant half-centuries which helped India post a total of 244/7 in 50 overs.

Pakistan struggled to chase the target and was all out for 137 in 43 overs, losing its 11th straight game against India in the 50-over format.

Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad took four crucial wickets to pack the Pakistanis home. Pacer Jhulan Goswami (2/29) and Sneh Rana (2/27) pulled four others out, leaving the opponents far from the target.

Indians however found themselves in a tricky situation after the departure of opener Shafali Verma for a duck in the third over. Mandhana (52 off 75 balls) and Deepti Sharma (40 off 57) then steadied the ship with a 92-run stand.

Pakistan however struck back soon after that, scalping skipper Mithali Raj  for 9 and her deputy Haramanpreet Kaur for 5, and reduced India to 114 for six.

Rana (53 not out) and Vastrakar (67) then built a crucial 122-run partnership that took their team to a formidable total. Their partnership was the highest for the seventh wicket in ICC Women’s World Cups.

For Pakistan, spinners Nida Dar (2/45) and Nashra Sandhu (2/36) snared two wickets each.

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Set a target of 245, Pakistan never really took off. They were restricted to just 26 in the powerplay due to tight bowling from India.

As pressure grew, openers tried to go for the big ones and Javeria Khan departed for 11 after lofting a Gayakwad delivery to Jhulan Goswani.

Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof tried to build up from there but the Indian bowlers were relentless in their targets. The Pakistanis were soon reduced to 78/5 by the halfway mark.

Indian spinners continued to keep the bowling tight as Pakistan struggled to score and finally the women in green wound up at 137, making this their 15th defeat while chasing in the Women’s World Cup games.

Thirty-nine-year-old Mithali Raj joined legends Javed Miandad and Sachin Tendulkar in achieving the rare feat of playing six World Cups. She is the first woman to do so.