
Mithali Raj-led India hammered Pakistan by 107 runs in their opening game of the ongoing ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2022 at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday (March 06). India got their campaign off to a winning start in the showpiece event with a comprehensive victory against their arch-rivals.
After posting a strong total of 244 runs on the board, Indian bowlers delivered a top-notch performance to bundle out Pakistan for a paltry 137 and clinch their first win of the tournament in style.While opener Smriti Mandhana continued her stellar run with a solid half-century, Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar gave India a strong finish with the bat with fifties apiece lower down the order.
With the win, India have extended their unbeaten run against Pakistan in Women's World Cup. The Women in Blue have neverlost against Pakistan in the history of the Women's World Cup with four wins in four encounters so far. While Rana and Vastrakar were India's heroes with the bat,Rajeshwari Gayakwad was the pick of the bowlers with a four-wicket haul.
Indian skipper Raj won the toss and opted to bat first at the Bay Oval. The decision turned out to be the right one as India got off to a brilliant start despite losing opener Shafali Verma cheaply on a duck in the third over. Mandhana combined with Deepti Sharma (40) to post a 92-run stand for the second wicket and set the stage for a big total for the Women in Blue.
However, India were left in a spot of bother after losing quick wickets in the middle as the likes of Raj (9), Harmanpreet Kaur (5) and Richa Ghosh (1) disappointed. However, Rana and Vastrakar came to India's rescue with a terrific partnership of 122 runs for the seventh wicket - the highest seventh-wicket stand in the history of the Women's ODI World Cup.
Tasked to chase 245 runs in 50 overs, Pakistan got off to a shaky start losing opener Javeria Khan on 11 off 28 balls before captain Bismah Maroof too departed cheaply on 15 off 25 balls. Indian bowlers kept picking up wickets at regular intervals to never let Pakistan make a comeback in the game as the Women in Green were skittled out with seven overs left to play.
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Opener Sidra Ameen top-scored for Pakistan with 30 off 64 balls, however, she failed to find support from the other end and her efforts were not enough to help her team take control of the run-chase.
Veteran Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami, who finished with excellent figures of 2/26 in her 10 overs, has now become the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of the Women's World Cup with 38 wickets to her name. She needs just two more wickets to become the highest wicket-taker in Women's World Cup.