Birmingham: The peerless Deepti Sharma strangulated an out of sync Pakistan with a five-wicket haul after Smriti Mandhana’s delectable half-century as India thrashed Pakistan by 64 runs to make a winning start to their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign here on Sunday.
Courtesy Mandhana’s classy 44-ball-68 and Richa Ghosh’s muscular 34 off 17 balls, India managed a winning score of 170 for 6.
Save Muneeba Ali’s 35-ball-41, there was no sting in Pakistan batting as they folded for a meagre 106 in 17 overs.
Having played her part in a priceless 45-run stand with Ghosh, Deepti was in her element with the ball, picking up a career-best 5 for 10 in 4 overs while left-arm spinner Shree Charani grabbed 3 for 21. Shafali Verma’s happy knack of picking wickets also helped India.
En route her five-wicket haul, Deepti also became the highest wicket-taker in the history of Women’s T20 Internationals.
With the third game being played on the same Edgbaston track, India got the advantage of bowling second as there was some turn on offer and the odd ball gripped, not allowing the batters to hit through the line. Deepti was literally unplayable on this pitch.
The most telling contribution during Indian fielding also came from Deepti, whose direct throw ended left-handed keeper-batter Muneeba’s flashy innings.
Earlier, Mandhana’s batting was grace personified as her regal knock along with Ghosh’s cameo took India to a winning total.
Ghosh provided the final flourish as left-arm seamer Tasmia Rubab went for 23 runs in the penultimate over which eventually broke Pakistan’s backbone.
Mandhana’s elegance was on full display at Edgbaston as she caressed the ball to boundary with sheer timing.
The six off left-arm seamer Rubab had class written all over it. Dancing down the track, the inside out boundaries off off-spinner Rameen Shamim were a work of art as she completed her half-century off just 34 balls. Her innings had nine boundaries and two sixes in it.
Shamim though finally had Mandhana when her mistimed hit was well taken by skipper Fatima Sana, who timed her slide to perfection.
Mandhana had company in her seasoned skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (36 off 35 balls) as the duo added 91 runs for the third wicket after Shafali Verma (6) and Jemimah Rodrigues (1) cheap dismissals had India under pressure at 18 for 2.
The skipper and her deputy were cautious with the Powerplay ending at 30 for 2 but they didn’t let go of the opportunity to hit the boundaries.
In the next seven overs, India scored 70 runs and Mandhana got a couple of reprieves where Pakistan’s butter-fingered fielders let regulation chances slip by.
The left-hander was dropped off Rubab’s bowling when her mistimed lofted shot was dropped by the fielder stationed at mid-off, who failed to latch on to the ball while running backwards.
The other was a big hit with the fielder at wide long-on boundary who saw it go for a six as it slipped between her palms. The unlucky bowler was left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal (2/41), easily one of their best performers along with skipper Fatima Sana (2/33).
While Mandhana’s footwork was a treat for the eyes, Kaur muscled a lot of deliveries using the depth of the crease. The Indian skipper used the conventional and slog sweep to good effect.
Once Mandhana was dismissed, India had a slump as Bharti Fulmali (0) was immediately stumped while trying an ugly hoick and Kaur’s flick off Sana was taken by Natalia Pervaiz stationed at square leg boundary.
