Colombo, Oct 5: Harleen Deol's composed knock of 46 and Richa Ghosh’s brisk unbeaten 35 meant India posted 247 in their 50 overs against Pakistan in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. It was a stop-start innings, stretched over four hours due to multiple interruptions, including players leaving the field for pest control measures.

India’s innings lacked fluency, with several batters getting starts but failing to convert them into a big score, as their innings included 173 dot balls. At 159/5 in the 35th over, India looked vulnerable, especially in the absence of Amanjot Kaur. It wasn’t until the final four overs, when India added 44 runs, that the total gained some respectability.

With no half-centuries on board, India will back their bowling to defend 247 on a not-so-easy pitch and secure a second straight win. For Pakistan, pacer Diana Baig stood out with 4-69, while skipper Fatima Sana Khan, Said Iqbal, Rameen Shamim, and Nashra Sandhu were the other wicket-takers.

Pushed into batting first, India began positively as Pratika Rawal brought out punches and a leaning drive to take a hat-trick of boundaries off Diana. Smriti Mandhana unfurled the square drive, deft dab, and crunchy cut to take three boundaries off Diana, and even survived an lbw appeal off her, as replays showed the ball pitched outside leg-stump.

But Pakistan pulled things back when Fatima trapped Smriti lbw with a nip-backer, as the India vice-captain also burnt a review. Harleen Deol got going by cutting late off Rameen for four, before dancing down the pitch to loft over long-on for six. Pakistan struck again when Pratika looked to punch an arm-ball angling in from Sadia, but saw her off-stump being rattled.

Though Harleen and Harmanpreet Kaur cracked a boundary each, Pakistan’s disciplined bowling meant they couldn’t really break free. That effort brought reward for Pakistan as Diana had Harmanpreet tickling one down leg to keeper Sidra Nawaz. The pacer then had Jemimah Rodrigues caught behind, but her joy flipped into frustration as replays showed she overstepped at the crease, giving the batter a big reprieve.

Jemimah got her boundaries via pull, sweep, and late-cut, before surviving a run-out after being nearly three-fourths of the way down the pitch. But Harleen, in a bid to get going, holed out to long-on off Rameen for 46, before a small break was taken for pest control services to be carried out.

Post interruption, Pakistan had another scalp as Nashra got one to dip and straighten late, which hit Jemimah flush on the front pad to trap her lbw for 32. But with Deepti Sharma not going at a very brisk pace, Sneh Rana, surprisingly promoted ahead of Richa, struggled for rhythm and holed out to long-on off Fatima.

Diana’s return worked well as Deepti tried to go big, but nicked behind to Sidra in a wicket maiden 46th over. Though Sree Charani fell to Sadia, Richa whacked two sixes and a four off pacers, before she and Kranti Gaud took a four each off the spinner.

With Pakistan’s lacklustre over-rate meaning they were forced to keep an extra fielder inside the circle, Richa brought out the switch-hit for taking a four off Diana, before being dropped by a near-collision between Sidra and Natalia Pervaiz. Though Kranti got a four off a pull, Diana had her and Renuka Singh Thakur out on successive balls to keep India three runs short of 250.

Brief scores: India 247 all out in 50 overs (Harleen Deol 46, Richa Ghosh 35 not out; Diana Baig 4-69, Fatima Sana Khan 2-38) against Pakistan.

(IANS)

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