Women's World Cup 2022: Vastrakar, Rana, Gaikwad help India beat Pakistan by 107-runs in WC opener

Mount Maunganui, March 6: Indian Women's Cricket Team continued its dominance over arch-rivals Pakistan and registered a convincing 107-run win in their ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2022 opening game here on Sunday (March 6).

With this win, the Mithali Raj-led Indian side claimed its eleventh successive victory over Pakistan women. This was also the Indian eves' fourth straight win over the Women In Green in the showpiece event.

Having elected to bat first, the Indian women posted a respectable total of 244 for 7 in the 50 overs. India didn't have the best of starts as they lost explosive opener Shafali Verma early but senior-pros Smriti Mandhana (52) and Deepti Sharma (40) forged a partnership of 92 runs. But the set batters were dismissed in quick succession and Pakistan bowlers made a comeback.

India's middle-order witnessed a mini-collapse and the game slipped into the hands of the opposition. The dismissal of Mithali Raj (9), Harmanpreet Kaur (5), and Richa Ghosh (1) meant the Indian eves lost five wickets in a gap of 18 runs.

From 96/2 the Indians slipped to 112/6 and stared at a low total. But Sneh Rana (53*) and Pooja Vastrakar (67) shared a record 122-run partnership for the sixth wicket and punctured the hopes of their opponents.

The two scored impressive fifties in their debut WC game and steered the side through troubled waters and denied the opposition an opportunity to restrict India to a below-par total.

Pakistani batters never looked in control in the big run chase and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Rajeshwari Gaikwad spun her web around the opposition and along with veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami she ensured the Bismah Maroof-led side were restricted to 137 in 43 overs.

With the pressure of chasing the highest successful total to secure a win, Pakistani batters never looked in control. The asking rate kept climbing up and the left-arm spinner, Gaikwad, returned with sensational figures of 4/31 from her quota of 10 overs.

While pace great Goswami snared 2/26 and accounted for the wickets of Ameen and Dar. Sneh Rana went on displaying her all-round skills as she picked up a couple of wickets too. Meghna Singh and Deepti Sharma accounted for one wicket each.

For Pakistan women, opener Sidra Ameen (30) and Diana Baig (24) were the highest run-scorer as their batting woes were exposed once again. In the coming games, the Women in Green will have to work on their batting for that has been a major letdown in this game.