India Women continued their unbeaten streak in the ICC Women’s World Cup with a 95-run win over Pakistan Women in Derby. On a day dominated by spinners, Punam Raut played a patient innings (47 off 72) to set up a platform and put the innings on course. And while wickets fell at regular intervals, Sushma Verma’s (33 off 35) cameo helped set Pakistan a 170-run target. Ekta Bisht, then wrecked the top-order to tip the balance in India’s favour. Building on the pressure, the Indian attack maintained a stranglehold on the line-up and bowled their team to a third successive victory in the tournament.
Although Bisht missed out on a hat-trick, the left-arm spinner who had claimed her five for eight against Pakistan in the ICC WWC Qualifiers finished with five for 18.
With only 169 runs to defend, Indian bowlers came out firing on all cylinders. After the Pakistan’s left-arm spinners had India in a bind, Bisht-led spin attack turned the tables on Pakistan. Opening the bowling for India with Jhulan Goswami, she had Ayesha Zafar lbw to leave the opponents on 1/1 while the pacer bowling fuller, claimed Javeria Wadood. The left-arm spinner then claimed Sidra Nawaz and Iram Javed in successive overs to leave Pakistan reeling on 14 for four.
While opener Bibi Nahida stoically worked to hold up one end, the Indian bowlers continued to keep the batters on a tight leash. Deepti Sharma knocked back SNF Abidi’s stumps while Mansi Joshi forced an edge from Asmavia Iqbal Khokhar through to the keeper to leave Pakistan on 26 for six. Sana Mir then joined the opener and the pair laboured on to take their side to 44 until Nahida was sent back by Harmanpreet Kaur.
While Mir continued to put up a fight with the lower-order, Bisht claimed two wickets off two balls in her second over after being re-introduced into the attack to leave Pakistan on 51 for nine. The Pakistan captain was the last wicket to fall, bowled by Joshi to claim an Indian victory.
Earlier, Diana Baig had claimed Smriti Mandhana for two to deal a vital blow early in the Indian innings. Raut then bided her time at the crease as she worked diligently to build the innings. Plodding on they took India to 17 for one in ten overs. The opener then slammed Asmavia to the fence and followed up with two more off Baig in the next over in an effort to break the shackles. While the No 3 bat stood her ground, Raut kept the scoreboard moving and had taken India to 74 until she hit the ball back at Nashra Sundhu and departed for 47.
19 runs later, Mithali Raj was out lbw to Sundhu. Pakistan’s successful DRS appeals got them and Sundhu the key wickets of the India captain and Deepti, which left the side on 94 for four in the 27th over. Harmanpreet Kaur was the next to depart after adding 10 runs to the total. A diving catch by Mir at mid wicket sent back the all-rounder while Sadia Yousaf castled Mona Meshram in her next.
Verma then played her career-best knock with the lower-order to help set Pakistan a 170-run target. The wicketkeeper-bat was involved in a 34-run stand with Goswami until the latter was bowled by Sundhu. In an effort to up the ante, the batters took risks and went for the big shots as they looked to add runs to the tally. After garnering 14 runs off Iqbal including a six and four, Verma holed out to mid-wicket and returned with two overs left. While Bisht was run out, Joshi then took India to 169 for nine with Poonam Yadav.
Player of the Match: Ekta Bisht for her five-wicket haul to bowl India to victory.
