India ride Mithali knock after bowlers restrict Pakistan
Seasoned opener hits 56 off 47 to help team beat archrivals by seven wickets
NEW DELHI: Mithali Raj scored an assured 56 as opener to steer India to a seven–wicket victory over Pakistan, sealing a second straight Group B victory in the Women’s World T20 at Providence, Guyana on Sunday.
India’s seniormost player ensured calmness in completing a modest chase after restricting Pakistan to 133/7 following skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to bowl first. The twice former semi-finalists dealt Pakistan their second defeat in a row, after their heavy loss to Australia.
As Harmanpreet laid New Zealand low with a stunning century on Friday, Mithali Raj waited in the dugout while junior teammates were sent to chance their arm towards the end of the innings. On Sunday though, the stalwart was at the forefront to get the job done without any fuss.
Mithali (56 – 47b, 7x4) and Smriti Mandhana (26 – 28b, 4x4) raised a 73-run opening partnership after India were left to score only 124 – Pakistan were docked 10 runs after being penalised twice for running on the pitch. Smriti was dismissed in the 10th over but India were cruising by then. Jemimah Rodrigues, who hit a crucial fifty against New Zealand, was out for 16.
But Mithali completed her half-century, and though she was out in the 18th over, India needed just eight runs with Harmanpreet at the crease. Veda Krishnamurthy’s boundary completed the victory with an over to spare. Australia and Ireland are the other teams in the group.
It wasn’t a perfect show by India on the field. They put down four catches, but still didn’t let Pakistan get far ahead. In the first game, India won by 34 runs after restricting the strong New Zealand to 160 in their chase.
DIRECT RUN OUT
A direct run out by Jemimah at the non-striker’s end to remove Umaima Sohail (3) saw Pakistan two down for 10 in the fourth over. Jemima, fielding at point, was alert after Umaima hesitated, and caught her short with a fine throw at the non-striker’s end.
Pakistan were reduced to 30/3 in the 7th over, after Radha Yadav produced another run out – this time a mix-up with Bismah Maroof claimed skipper Javeria Khan (17). Pakistan were looking down the barrel at this stage, after the heavy defeat against Australia on Friday.
Smriti Mandhana had dropped Javeria on nought off Arundhati Reddy, and it didn’t hurt much. But Nida Dar, on 15, was dropped by Veda Krishnamurthy on the long-off fence to concede a four, and she made it count. Nida (52 – 35b, 5x4, 2x6) and Bismah (53 – 49b, 4x4), who was instrumental in Javeria’s run out, put on 93 runs for the fourth wicket.
The pair built the innings in 11.5 overs, but India finally struck through D Hemalatha with the off-break bowler dismissing both the set players in the space of three deliveries in the 19th over, ensuring Pakistan did not score quick runs in the last two overs.
Bismah was the first to go. She slogged a delivery from outside off-stump, but could not find enough power to be caught by Veda at long-on. Nida threw her wicket away. It was a short delivery from Hemalatha, but she hit it straight to Harmanpreet at extracover.
Hemalatha finished with 2/34 while leg-spinner Poonam Yadav took 2/22. Radha 4-0-26-0, Deepti 4-0-26-0, Hema 4-0-34-2, Poonam 4-0-22-2.
INDIA
M Raj c Dar b Baig 56 (47) M’dhana c Sohail b Maroof 26 (28) J Rodrigues c & b Dar 16 (21) H Kaur not out 14 (13) V K’murthy not out 8 (5) Extras (w 7) 7 Total (3 wkts, 19 ovs) 137 FOW: 1-73, 2-101, 3-126.
Bowling: Baig 3-0-19-1, Amin 3-0-27-0, Mir 4-0-22-0, Dar 4-0-17-1, Riaz 2-0-21-0, Maroof 3-0-21-1.