A sold out crowd saw India defeat Pakistan by 95 runs in the ICC Women’s World Cup at Derby.
India captain Mithali Raj won the toss and elected to bat first, with India posting 169-9 and Punam Raut top scoring with 47.
Pakistan struggled in reply and Ekta Bisht’s five-wicket haul teared through their line-up as India claimed a comfortable victory in front of over 2,600 supporters.
Smriti Mandhana made an impressive 106 not out last time out for India, but she was out for just two this time when she was lbw to Diana Baig. India started slowly, hitting the first boundary of their innings in the ninth over, taking them to 17-1.
Punam Raut and Deepti Sharma brought India up to 50 after 17.5 overs and reached their 50 partnership two overs later having faced 101 deliveries between them, with four fours. But the partnership was ended at 67 when Raut was caught and bowled by Nashra Sandhu for 47.
India could only put on 20 more runs before the next wicket fell, this time Mithali Raj was lbw for eight. Just two balls later, Sandhu had claimed her third wicket as Sharma was sent back for 28, leaving India at 94-4 after 27 overs.
The new partnership of Harmanpreet Kaur and Mona Meshram could only add 13 runs before Kaur was caught brilliantly by Sana Mir from the bowling of Sadia Yosuf for 10. Meshram soon followed having only scored 6 from 35 balls, she was out after she was bowled by Yousuf, leaving India on 111-6.
India continued to score slowly, hitting their first four in 118 balls during one spell, as Sushma Verma took them up to 137-6.
But in the next over her partner Jhulan Goswami was dismissed for 14 after she was bowled by Sandhu who claimed her fourth wicket of the afternoon from her final ball, conceding only 26 runs from her 10 overs.
Verma scored well for India, having made 33 from 35 before she was caught on the boundary by Baig from the bowling of Asmavia Iqbal. Her replacement Ekta Bisht soon followed as she was run out just two balls later.
Mansi Joshi and Poonam Yadav saw the innings out for India, finishing on 169-9 from their 50 overs.
Pakistan’s reply started poorly as they lost their first wicket in the second over as Ayesha Zafar was lbw for one. Javeria Wadood was gone just two overs later as she was bowled LBW by Goswami for six, leaving Pakistan at 8-2.
A third lbw followed in the next over with Sidra Nawaz being the victim this time without scoring, she was bowled by Bisht. The wickets continued to tumble as Bisht claimed her third victim of the afternoon to dismiss Imran Javid for zero.
Nain Abidi was next to go for five, before Asmavia Iqbal was caught behind by Verma from the bowling of Joshi to put Pakistan at 26-6.
Nahida seemed to be the only player able to have a prolonged period at the crease for Pakistan, but she was caught behind by Verma off the bowling of Kaur for 23 from 62 balls, hitting three fours.
Sana Mir and Yousaf made the best partnership of the innings for Pakistan, for the final wicket, hitting 23 between them before Mir was dismissed for 29 to complete a convincing victory for India by 95 runs with 11.5 overs remaining.
Tickets are available for all games in Derby, with prices starting from just £10 for adults. Tickets can be purchased online via icc-cricket.com/tickets.
For more information about ICC Women’s World Cup, please call 01332 388 101 or email [email protected].
