India overcame initial stutter with bat in hand, but managed to come out of it with flying colours. India showed their class and showed Pakistan why they have a long way to get to the big teams yet. They can compete on a given day, but can be hopeless at times. Batting first, they stopped and started to get to 247 thanks to the late blitz from Richa Ghosh amidst an average batting performance. Diana Baig bowled well for her 4-wicket haul.
In the defense of the total, Kranti Goud and Deepti Sharma picked up 3 wickets apiece while Sidra Ameen scored 81 as Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 159 in 43 overs. The Women in Green had their moments but were not good enough to upstage the Indians in the end.
Diana Baig’s impressive 4-wicket haul restricts India to 247 in 50 overs
Put into bat first, Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana came out to bat for India while Sadia Iqbal had ball in hand for Pakistan. Mandhana made her intentions clear by rocking on the back foot and pulled it to deep midwicket for a boundary. Diana Baig took the ball from the other end. Rawal took the attack to Baig by hitting her for a hat-trick of boundaries to end the second over.
Captain Fatima Sana introduced herself into the act. Rawal managed to get a boundary away via the outside edge through to the third man fence. Diana continued as Mandhana crunched her through deep point for a boundary. Sana continued and bowled a decent over. Baig too kept things tight even as both batters survived a close run out check. Sana continued and bowled a decent over even though she hurt her right ankle. Baig continued as Mandhana opened the bat face and squeezed through third man region for a boundary.
Baig and Pakistan wasted a DRS on Mandhana for LBW as the ball clearly pitched outside the leg stump. Mandhana then threw her hands at it and got it into the gap at deep point for a boundary. Fatima Sana came back and got the breakthrough for India getting rid of Mandhana for 23 off 32 balls with 4 fours to her name. Sana bowled a length ball on the middle stump nipping back in. Mandhana was late on the flick and missed it on the inside edge. She got hit on the front pad. There was no bat involved and Ball Tracking showed Three Reds. Mandhana reviewed in hope and burnt the review in process. Harleen Deol came out to bat at 3.
Rameen Shamim came into the attack to bowl the final over of the first powerplay. Harleen hit her for a boundary square on the off-side to bring up the 50 for India and her 100th four as well. After 10 overs at the end of the powerplay, India were 54/1. Sana continued and bowled a maiden over. Shamim continued and kept the scoring under check. Sadia Iqbal came back into the attack and bowled a miserly over. Drinks was called in now as the score read 57/1 in 13 overs.
Shamim continued after the break as Deol smashed her down the ground over wide long-on for the maximum. Rawal then hit a boundary by cutting it between point for a boundary at backward point as she completed 100 fours in the ODIs. Sadia had the last laugh as she dismissed Rawal for 31 off 37 balls with 5 fours to her name.
Sadia bowled an arm ball on a length outside off-stump pushed through by Sadia. Rawal again went deep in her crease and looked to manufacture room to cut it through the off-side. She got beaten by the pace off the surface and the ball cannoned on top of off-stump. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came out to bat next. Kaur got off the mark by slapping it past diving cover point fielder for a boundary.
Sadia continued as Harleen survived a run out scare by dragging her bat inside the line in time. Nashra Sandhu came into the attack next. She started her spell with a miserly over. Sadia continued and kept things under check. Harleen broke the shackles by coming down to the pitch of the ball and lofted it over mid-off for a boundary. After 20 overs, India were going along slowly at 86/2.
Sadia continued and bowled another decent over. Deol then played the deft touch off Sandhu as she opened the face of the bat and guided it past short third man for a boundary. Kaur joined in the fun as she walked down the track and used her wrists to full effect flicking it past diving mid-on for a boundary. The 100 came up for India in 21.5 overs. Sadia continued and bowled another tidy over. Sandhu too kept India’s scoring under check. Diana Baig came back into the attack. She removed the Indian captain Kaur for 19 off 34 balls with 2 fours to her name.
Baig bowled a good length delivery down the leg side, Kaur looked to help it on its way with a glance. She tried to use the pace of the bowler and tickled it fine. The keeper Nawaz moved quickly to her left and dived to grab a catch behind the stumps. Jemimah Rodrigues came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway. After 25 overs at the halfway stage of the innings, India were 108/3.
Nashra Sandhu continued and bowled another decent over as India found it tough out there. Baig continued and though she had Jemimah out caught behind, But alas! Baig overstepped. The free hit from Baig yielded a boundary as Jemimah stepped down and pulled it in front of square on the leg side for a boundary. Sandhu continued as Jemimah pulled it away getting down on one knee and swept it through backward square leg. Drinks was taken after 27.5 overs as the insects brought a half to proceedings.
Baig continued as Rodrigues hit a boundary by squatting and playing late. She opened the bat face down to deep third man as Shamim let the ball go as the ball had gone away to the fence. Sandhu continued and there was a mix-up between the two batters but Jemimah made it back to her crease on time. She then elegantly drove Sandhu through the extra cover region for a boundary. After 30 overs, India were 136/3.
Fatima Sana came back into the attack. Deol flicked Sana away to deep square leg for a boundary. Sandhu bowled another decent over. The 150 came up for India in 32.3 overs. Shamim came back into the attack and got rid of Deol next for 46 off 65 balls with 4 fours and a maximum to her name. Shamim from over the wicket bowled a full and tossed up delivery outside off-stump. Harleen stepped down and looked to clear long-on. She didn’t get the timing or power right on the stroke and ended up hitting it straight down the throat of Sandhu. The fielder ran in a few yards from the boundary ropes and took the simple catch. Deepti Sharma came into the crease next and got off the mark.
Players went off the field for the insects issue and was halted for 10-15 minutes in which the people tried to disinfect the ground. Nashra Sandhu resumed after the break. Rodrigues played the sweep shot through forward square leg for a boundary. Sandhu then struck got rid of Rodrigues for 32 off 37 balls with 5 fours to her name via a successful DRS. Sandhu bowled full on the middle and leg stump. Rodrigues went down on one knee for the sweep but missed it. The ball may have missed the gloves. Pakistan opt for the challenge. Fair delivery and the ball missed the bat and gloves. Ball Tracking showed three reds and it came back as OUT with the umpire changing her decision. Sneh Rana was promoted up the order next.
Shamim continued and bowled a miserly over. Sandhu continued and bowled another decent over. Sandhu finished her spell. Shamim continued and kept things under check yet again. Captain Fatima Sana came back into the attack. Sana too gave nothing away to the Indians. Shamim bowled the 40th over and bowled a decent over. India were 172/5 in 40 overs with 10 important overs left for both sides.
Sadia Iqbal came back into the attack. Rana broke the shackles as she rocked back and slapped it between cover and point for a boundary. Shamim continued and bowled another tidy over. Rana survived a run out scare as she had to dive to her crease at the striker’s end and hurt herself a little bit. Deepti then broke the shackles by sweeping Sadia to deep square leg for a boundary. Sadaf misfielded and gave runs away.
Rana then pumped Shamim down the ground to long-on for a single. Rana then hit Sana for a boundary by dancing down the track and heaved it away over midwicket region for a boundary. The 200 came up for India in 44.1 overs. Sana got the last laugh getting rid of Rana for 20 off 33 balls with 2 fours to her name. Sana bowled a good length delivery around the off-stump. Rana was again down the track and looking to slog. This time with no timing behind the stroke and no power either. He hit it aerially and straight down the throat of Riaz at long-on. Richa Ghosh came out to bat next.
She got off the mark soon as India reached 203/6 in 45 overs. Baig came back into the attack and got rid of Deepti Sharma for 25 off 33 balls with one four to her name. She bowled a good length delivery angling across outside off-stump as Sharma lost her shape as the ball was not there to execute that particular slog. The clear outside edge and carried it safely to Sidra Nawaz behind the stumps. Nallapureddy Charani came out to bat. She was given OUT and she reviewed it to get the decision back in her favour.
Sana continued as Richa launched over deep midwicket for the maximum. She took the attack to Baig as well by hitting the full toss over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Ghosh then took it to Baig by launching her over wide long-off for the maximum. Sadia came to bowl the 49th over and dismissed Charani for 1 off 5 balls. Sadia bowled from over the wicket a good length delivery outside off-stump. Charani was down the track and looked to slog it across the line. She was not to the pitch of the ball and got a leading edge that looped straight to backward point. Parvaiz took the simple catch.
Kranti Goud came out to bat next and hit a boundary by dispatching it through the covers for a boundary. Richa continued her merry ways by hitting a boundary by sweeping to deep square leg for a boundary. Diana came to bowl the final over as Richa hit her by reverse sweeping it to short third region for a boundary. This was Richa’s 100th four in ODIs. Ghosh was next dropped by Sidra Nawaz and Pervaiz as both went for it and could not take the catch. Goud then shuffled inside the line and got it past short fine leg for a boundary.
Baig hit back and got rid of Goud for 8 off 4 balls with 2 fours to her name. She bowled full on the off-stump. Goud stepped down the track and looked to hit through the line. She was not to the pitch of the ball and mistimed the lofted drive to straight to Riaz at mid-off. Renuka Singh Thakur came out to bat at 11.
She was taken by Baig off the final ball of the innings. Baig banged it in short outside off-stump. Thakur looked to swipe across the line and there was no pace to work with. She got a top edge after losing her shape. The ball ballooned behind the stumps with Sidra Nawaz moving to her left and take a simple catch. Richa remained unbeaten on 35 off 20 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes to her name. India were bowled out for 247 in 50 overs. 7 extras given by Pakistan.
Diana Baig was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan with figures of 4/69 in 10 overs. Sadia Iqbal supported her with 2/47 in 10 overs. Fatima Sana the captain bowled well for his 2/38 in 10 overs. Rameen Shamim finished with 1/39 in 10 overs. Nashra Sandhu chipped in with 1/52 in 10 overs. Only 5 bowlers used by Pakistan. This meant Pakistan needed 248 runs off 50 overs to beat India for the first time in their history.
Kranti Gaud & Deepti Sharma’s 3-wicket haul skittles Pakistan out for 159 in 43 overs
Chasing 248 for the win, Muneeba Ali and Shadaf Shamas came out to open for Pakistan while Renuka Singh Thakur had ball in hand for India. India burnt a review straightaway against Muneeba Ali for caught behind as there was no bat whatsoever. Renuka bowled a good over. Kranti Goud took the new ball from the other end. Goud too bowled a miserly over. Thakur continued and kept things under check. Then Muneeba was run out for 2 off 12 balls under controversial circumstances as there was a long time to make this decision. Sidra Ameen came out to bat next.
Ameen broke the shackles by opening the face of the bat and guiding it down to short third man. Ameen managed to get an outside edge past the keeper and away for a boundary. Ameen got a reprieve as there was no appeal made against her in the 6th over. Thakur continued and bowled a decent over. Goud then got her first wicket when she removed Shamas for 6 off 24 balls.
Gaud bowled a full on the leg stump line. Shamas looked to flick it away but was late on the shot as the ball lobbed up in the air off the splice of the bat and went straight back to Gaud who took it safely of her own bowling. Aliya Riaz came out to bat next. Thakur continued as Ameen was dropped by Richa Ghosh off Thakur’s bowling. Goud continued and bowled really well. At the end of 10 overs of powerplay, Pakistan were struggling at 25/2.
Thakur continued as Ameen survived a minor run out scare. India burnt their second and final review against Ameen for caught down the leg side as India made horrible calls in the reviews. Goud then struck and got rid of Riaz for 2 off 8 balls. Goud from over the wicket bowled a length ball outside off-stump. Riaz opened the bat face and guided it straight into the hands of Deepti Sharma at second slip. The all-rounder took a fine low catch to complete the dismissal. Natalia Pervaiz came out to bat next as Goud bowled a wicket maiden over.
Drinks was taken with Pakistan at 26/3 in 12 overs. Thakur continued after the break and bowled a maiden over. Goud continued to keep things tight. Renuka continued and kept the scoreboard under check. Sneh Rana came into the attack next. Pervaiz broke the shackles by coming down the track and reached to the pitch of the ball. This was hit through the line, lofting this over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Pervaiz was on a roll by getting down on one knee and swept it behind square on the leg side for a boundary.
Nallapureddy Charani came onto bowl next. Charani dropped a tough chance of her own bowling as Ameen got another reprieve. Rana will continue. Ameen launched Rana by coming down the track and lofted it inner half of the bat over long-on for the maximum. Ameen hit Charani down the ground for a boundary. The 50 came up for Pakistan in the 19th over. Deepti Sharma came into the attack. She bowled a decent over as Pakistan reached 57/3 in 20 overs.
Charani continued and kept things tight. Pervaiz took the attack to Deepti Sharma by stepping down the track and drilled it past the bowler for a boundary. Pervaiz got down on one knee and swept it to deep square leg for a boundary as Charani made a mess of it in the deep. Charani did well later on to keep the scoring to two runs but hurt herself badly. Ameen was once again dropped by Richa Ghosh off Deepti Sharma as this was her third dropped catch. Charani continued Ameen pulled it away through covers for a boundary. Deepti bowled a decent over. Sneh Rana came back into the attack. She bowled a decent over as Pakistan reached 84/3 in 25 overs.
Deepti continued as Ameen hit Deepti by rolling her wrists and hit it behind square for a boundary. Rana bowled a quiet over. Goud got into the act as she dismissed Natalia Pervaiz for 33 off 46 balls with 4 fours to her name. Goud bowled full and on the middle stump. Pervaiz cleared her front leg and looked to slog across the line. She lost her shape and miscued it off the bottom half of the bat. The ball looped to backward point where Radha Yadav the substitute fielder took a safe catch. Fatima Sana came out to bat next. Rana continued and bowled another decent over. Goud continued as the 100 came up for Pakistan in 29.4 overs. After 30 overs, Pakistan were 101/4.
Deepti to continue. She got rid of Fatima Sana for 2 off 15 balls. Deepti bowled full and outside off-stump. Fatima stepped down the track and look to go over long-off to mistime the ball. Mandhana at long-off kept her cool and delivered under pressure. Sidra Nawaz came to the middle next.
Thakur continued even as Ameen got to her maiden ODI fifty off 82 balls. Deepti managed to keep things under check. Renuka bowled her final over. Ameen managed to get a boundary away to long-off. Renuka Singh Thakur is in the scheme of things. and must not be judged on how she is bowling. Charani had an off-day today with errors everywhere.
Nawaz though swivel and cricket are not my cup of tea in writing and of course she played an important role for India whenever required. Goud is there. Nawaz bowled a short ball on the leg stump and pulled it between deep square leg and deep fine leg. Nawaz was on a roll as she hit Goud for a boundary to deep square leg and deep fine. Goud continued as we went for a boundary. mixed it up and beat the long fielder run in 18 overs. Ameen then smashed Charani for a boundary between point fielders of both sides. Rana continued and removed Nawaz for 14 off 22 balls. The low full toss was hit chipped back to the bowler. Rana took it easily.
Rameen Shamim came out to bat next. Deepti removed Shamim for a golden duck. Full and tossed up down the leg side. The ball turns enough to hit the leg stump. Shamim got inside the line and looked to sweep but missed it. Diana Baig came out to bat next. Rana came back and got rid of the big fish Ameen for 81 off 106 balls with 9 fours and a maximum to her name. Rana bowled it full and outside off-stump. Ameen shuffled across and looked to sweep and failed to keep it further down as the ball goes to Kaur at square leg. Nashra Sandhu came out to bat next.
Pakistan were 150/8 in 40 overs. Baig managed to get a boundary away through long-on for a boundary. She bowled decently. Deepti came back into the attack. Then we had a run out as Kaur effected the run out dismissing Baig for 9 off 13 balls with a boundary to her name. Sadia Iqbal came out to bat next.
Deepti finished things off for India as she dismissed Sadia for a silver duck. Full delivery outside off-stump. Iqbal went down on one knee for a slog sweep and she failed to get the desired regulation catch as the bottom half of the bat hit her most. Sandhu remained unbeaten on 2 off 9 balls as Pakistan have been bowled out for 159 in 43 overs. 8 extras given by the fielding side.
Kranti Goud was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/20 in 10 overs. Deepti Sharma complimented her well with 3/45 in 10 overs. Sneh Rana chipped in with 2/38 in 8 overs. Renuka Singh Thakur finished with 0/29 in 10 overs. Charani finished with 0/26 in 6 overs. So, a win by 88 runs for India. Kranti Goud was awarded the Player of the Match.
What Lies Ahead
The bandwagon moves back to India and now in Indore where New Zealand will take on South Africa at 3 PM IST. Both teams lost their first game and will want to bounce back soon. They can certainly come back and whoever plays better will win.
Also Read: ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025: Kranti Goud’s 2-Wicket Haul Resticts Pakistan To 84/3.