Kumar Bahukhandi
India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her team members celebrate the win in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup match between India and Pakistan at Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka (AP)
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana won the toss and chose to bowl, restricting India to 247 in 50 overs. In reply, Pakistan was dismissed for 159 in 43 overs
Colombo: Kranti Goud and Deepti Sharma took three wickets each as India routed archrival Pakistan by 88 runs Sunday in a women’s Cricket World Cup match that was notable for a contentious run out and a lack of customary handshakes.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana won the toss and chose to bowl, restricting India to 247 in 50 overs. In reply, Pakistan was dismissed for 159 in 43 overs.
Pakistan’s first wicket was lost in a confusing manner when opening batter Muneeba Ali was adjudged run out. Ali had grounded her bat after returning to her crease, having moved forward to play a shot. Her bat lifted, though, as a throw from an Indian fielder hit the stumps. Sana questioned the call, saying her teammate was not attempting a run, but the decision stood.
The only half-century of the game in Colombo came from Pakistan’s Sidra Amin, who posted 81 in her 13th 50-plus score in the one-day international format.
Amin shared 69 runs for the fourth wicket with Natalia Pervaiz (33) off 96 deliveries to lift Pakistan’s hopes briefly after it was reduced to 26-3.
Seam bowler Goud took 3-20 and spinner Sharma returned 3-45.
Harleen Deol top-scored for India with 46 and Richa Ghosh made a quick-fire 35 not out.
No handshakes Sana and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur didn’t shake hands during the toss and the teams walked off without exchanging customary shakes after the match amid political tensions between the South Asian neighbors. The India and Pakistan captains at the recent men’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates also didn’t shake hands in three matches between the archrivals.
The men’s T20 Asia Cup marked the resumption of cricket ties between India and Pakistan only months after the neighboring countries were engaged in a tense border situation in May.
India’s innings Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana shared an 48-run opening stand before Sana had Mandhana lbw for a 32-ball 23. Rawal made 31 before she was bowled by left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal.
Kaur scored 19 before she was caught behind off seam bowler Diana Baig.
Jemimah Rodrigues (32), Deepti Sharma (25) and Sneh Rana (20) all made valuable contributions.
Ghosh hit two sixes and three boundaries in her innings as India scored 44 off the last five overs.
Baig took 4-69 in her 10 overs for Pakistan, while Iqbal and Sana had two wickets each in a match that was stopped for 15 minutes because insects were bothering the players India tops the eight-team league with two wins in two games, a point ahead of defending champion Australia .
Pakistan has lost both its matches so far. New Zealand and South Africa meet Monday in Indore, India, with both teams chasing their first win of the tournament.
( Source : AP )
