BIRMINGHAM, JUN 14: Smriti Mandhana scored a well-made half-century as India set a 171-run target against Pakistan in their Women’s T20 World Cup fixture at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday.
Batting first, the Girls in Blue posted 170-6 in their allotted 20 overs, courtesy of a crucial partnership between Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur.
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India made a mixed start as opener Shafali Verma opened the scoring with a six off the very first delivery, but was dismissed later in the same over by spinner Sadia Iqbal.
Jemimah Rodrigues came to the crease after Mandhana was already finding runs at the other end following an early dismissal, aiming to steady the innings and rebuild momentum towards a competitive total.
However, India suffered another setback as Rodrigues was dismissed cheaply for one off seven balls by Tasmia Rubab, leaving the team reeling at 18-2 after 3.2 overs.
Kaur quickly found her rhythm after walking in, and alongside Smriti, she built a solid partnership that helped India cruise past the 50-run mark in the ninth over.
Mandhana looked in sublime touch with the bat, easing the pressure as runs flowed freely, before bringing up her 34th T20I fifty of her career.
Kaur continued the onslaught as India’s run rate kept climbing, taking the side past the 100-run mark.
However, the 91-run stand was eventually broken when spinner Rameen Shamim dismissed Mandhana, who played an exceptional knock of 68 off 44 deliveries, laced with nine fours and two sixes.
India were reduced to four wickets early as Sadia Iqbal struck again, removing middle-order batter Bharti Fulmali for just one run via a stumping, leaving India struggling at 110-4 in 14.2 overs.
Pakistan gained the upper hand as Fatima Sana picked up her first wicket give India yet another blow as Kaur was dismissed after contributing 36 off 35 deliveries comprising of four boundaries.
Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma carried the innings forward in the final overs of the first innings, with Sharma accelerating the scoring through a flurry of boundaries, helping the team sail past the 150-run mark.
Sana bowled the final over, conceding 14 runs, which included the wicket of Ghosh, who played a fiery 17-ball 34 featuring five boundaries and a six, while Sharma remained unbeaten on 12.
For Pakistan, Sadia Iqbal and Fatima Sana claimed two wickets each, while Tasmia Rubab and Rameen Shamim chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Ayesha Zafar, Saira Jabeen, Natalia Pervaiz, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana (c), Rameen Shamim, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal and Tasmia Rubab.
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani and Shreyanka Patil.
