WWC 2017, IND v PAK, Match 11 Review: India thump Pakistan in a low scoring encounter

Indian fans get their vengeance against their arch rivals Pakistan as the India women’s team cruised past Pakistan to register a clinical 95-run win in a low scoring encounter. Ekta Bisht produced one of the finest spin bowling spells in Women’s cricket and their counterparts had no answer to it.

The Indian batters didn’t have a particularly good outing with the willow in hand. Inform southpaw Smriti Mandhana failed to grab the headlines this time around as she could notch just a couple of runs and was rapped on the pads off Diana Baig. In walked another youngster Deepti Sharma to accompany Punam Raut, who was on a mission to steady the Indian ship which was in danger of sinking.

Unlike India’s previous two matches, batting was a lot more difficult at the Derby and there was no sense of urgency palpable in the batters’ approach. Punam was the protagonist in their partnership as she kept scoring faster than her partner. After showing great resilience till the 23rd over, the opener hit it straight down the bowler’s channel and Nashra Sindhu completed a simple catch.

Punam walked back after scoring 47 runs off 72 balls and India stood firmly at 74/2. Just when the fans thought captain Mithali Raj would come and capitalise on the solid foundation laid by Punam and Deepti, it was Sidhu again who gave India a body blow.

Mithali tried to flick the ball and missed it completely. Sindhu started appealing but the umpire suggested the ball was sliding down the leg and they opted for a review. Pakistan got what they wanted, it was three reds against the Indian skipper.

Funny and strange things happened another couple of balls later as Deepti was caught behind off Sidhu and once again, the umpire didn’t think it was out. DRS helped Pakistan get two crucial wickets in a span of 3 balls and they were on a canter.

Harmanpreet Singh and Mona Meshram too fell in quick succession and India were in a spot of bother at 111 with six batters back in the gallery. Wicketkeeper batswoman Sushma Verma and veteran Jhulan Goswami then added an invaluable 34-run stand for the 7th wicket and confiscated the flow of wickets for the next 10 overs.

Yet, all India could manage at the end of the 50 overs was 169 for the loss of 9 wickets. Sushma Verma provided some entertainment in the final few overs as she piled up 33 off 35 balls with 3 fours and one hit out of the park. Nashra Sindhu was spectacular and returned with figures of 4/26.

Spin bowling at its imperious best

The target was not as small as it appears on paper given the ball was spinning off the wicket and batting was nowhere close to being easy. To add to Pakistan’s misery, Ekta Bisht put up a magnificent display of spin bowling just ran past the Pakistani line up for fun.

She got them the first breakthrough, sending back their in-form opener Ayesha Zafar in the latter’s very first over. Javeira Khan then followed Ayesha after the stalwart of Indian cricket, Jhulan Goswami produced a moment of magic. Though it seemed like the ball was sliding down the leg, the umpire raised his finger and the batter decided to consent with the umpire’s decision.

Pakistani batters paid a hefty price for attempting some ridiculous defensive shots with their pads beside the bat. Ekta kept rolling out the arm-ball and kept sending them back to the dug out one after other. Sidra Nawaz and Iram Javed, two important batters in the middle-order, returned without scoring a run and Pakistan never recovered. It was just the quintessence of a shambolic batting display.

Nahida Khan tried to bat a few overs out with skipper Sana Mir, but the partnership never looked promising. With 6 wickets down and the required run rate creeping up, Indian bowlers dictated the terms and their neighbours were dancing accordingly. Nahida’s effort was put to bed by the ever exuberant Harmanpreet Kaur and the rest was just a formality.

Ekta came back for a new spell and picked two wickets in a row (Nashra Sidhu and Diana Baig) to complete a five-fer. This left Pakistan at 51/9, staring at a humiliating defeat to their arch rivals. Skipper Sana’s fought a lone battle and managed to stick on with the number 11 Sadia Yousuf for almost 10 overs.

Pakistan eventually were bowled out for 74 runs and India registered their third win of the campaign, a resounding win by 95 runs. Ekta Bisht unsurprisingly was the Player of the Match for her figures of 10-2-18-5.

Brief Scores:

India: 169/9 in 50 overs (Punam Raut 47, Sushma Verma 33; Nashra Sidhu 4/26)

Pakistan: 74 all out in 38.1 overs (Sana Mir 29; Ekta Bisht 5/18, Mansi Joshi 2/9)