Mithali-led India secured a comprehensive 107-run win over Pakistan to launch their Women's World Cup bid with a winning start on Sunday (March 6). Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana put together a world-record partnership of 122-run for seventh wicket to rescue India from a precarious position of 114/6 to guide India to a decent total of 244/7. Later, Rajeshwari Gayakwad did the rest with her excellent spell of 4/31 to restrict Pakistan to just 137 and cruise India home and and continue India's unbeaten run in the World Cup against Pakistan.
This was India's 11th victory over Pakistan in as many women's ODI matches while fourth in the World Cups.
Veteran bowler Jhulan Goswami (2/26) followed by Meghna Singh (1/21), Deepti Sharma (1/31), and Sneh Rana (2/27) kept Pakistani batters in check as the opponent faced a disappointing collapse in the 245-run chase. Opener Sidra Ameen (30) was the highest run-scorer as she continued to run out of partners before being dismissed herself by Jhulan Goswami. Meanwhile, half-centuries by Pooja Vastrakar (67), Smriti Mandhana (52) and Sneh Rana (53 not out) ensured India post a respectable total despite having a sloppy start as Nida Dar and Nashra Sandhu picked two wickets each for Pakistan.
After winning the toss, India opted to bat first as the high-profile opener Smriti Mandhana achieved a rare feat while cracking a superb half-century. Smriti smashed 52 off 75 to become the fourth highest run-scorer for India in women’s ODIs. Mandhana has so far scored 2513 runs in 65 ODIs. And, in this Indian list of runs, only Mithali Raj, Anjum Chopra and Harmanpreet Kaur are ahead of them. The 25-year-old played an impressive knock which was fuelled with three fours and a six. This was Mandhana's 21st half-century in ODIs and third in World Cup.
After losing opener Shafali Verma for a duck, India picked themselves up immensely well with Mandhana and Deepti Sharma (40 off 57) shouldering the responsibility with a brilliant 92-run stand for the second. However, Mandhana departed soon after completing a brilliant fifty while Deepti also lost her wicket which balanced it out to bring Pakistan back into the game. Bismah Maroof-led side continued to make regular inroads as Nida Dar rocked the Indian batting order with two wickets of Harmanpreet Kaur (5 off 14) and Richa Ghosh (1 off 5) in quick succession while Nashra Sandhu bagged the big scalp of skipper Mithali Raj who departed for 9 off 36.
Later, Sneh Rana bolstered the Indian innings with a smashing 53 off 48. She found an able partner in Pooja Savarkar who belted 67 off 59 which was loaded with 8 boundaries as they put together a world-record 122-run stand when India were reeling at 114/6. The unprecedented partnership is not just the highest for the wicket in Women's World Cup, but also in ODIs, surpassing the unbeaten 104-run stand between New Zealand's NJ Browne and SJ Tsukigawa in 2007 against England in Chennai.
Chasing a not so big target, Pakistan were precariously placed at 78 for five at the halfway point in their innings, 167 runs away from a win. India were rewarded for some tight bowling early on, limiting Pakistan to just 26 for no loss at the end of the powerplay. The pressure got to the openers as Javeria Khan departed in the 11th over, trying to take the aerial route.
After that, the Indian spinners continued to keep a lid on the scoring, with Deepti and Rana taking the important wickets of Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof and Omaima Sohail respectively. Goswami then got into the act, dismissing the settled Sidra Ameen, who was caught behind. Jhulan struck again in her next over to remove Dar for 4 as Pakistan stared at a big defeat. This is Pakistan's 15th defeat while chasing in the Women's World Cup games.
Meanwhile, Mithali Raj's achieved a rare World Cup record as she became the first women cricketer to feature in record six Women's World Cup tournaments. The veteran cricketer also equalled the record previously held by Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar. She made her maiden World Cup appearance in 2000, before playing in 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017 and now in 2022. She surpassed former New Zealand cricketer Debbie Hockley and Charlotte Edwards of England. Meanwhile, Jhulan Goswami, her teammate, stands second on the list with five World Cup tournament appearance. Mithali is also only the third cricketer – male or female – to participate in six ICC World Cups and she has ensured the record enters a new decade as former Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad appeared in the first six Men's Cricket World Cups between 1975 and 1996 and Sachin Tendulkar played six beginning with the 1992 World Cup.
