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Cricket PlayersJemimah steers India to seven-wicket win over Pakistan
The No 3 batter hit an unbeaten 53 and shared in a 58–run partnership with Richa Ghosh (31*) to ace a tense chase with six balls to spare in their first game of the Women’s ICC T20 World Cup
Jemimah Rodrigues (53* - 38b, 8x4) and Richa Ghosh (31* - 20b, 5x4) held their nerve to guide India to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in their opening game of the women’s T20 World Cup at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday. While the Indo-Pak rivalry in women's cricket is still finding its way, the contest on Sunday was thoroughly absorbing all the way through.
Electing to bat, Pakistan posted 149/4 — their highest T20I total against India — thanks to stellar contributions by skipper Bismah Maroof (68* - 55b, 7x4) and Ayesha Naseem (43* - 25b, 2x4, 2x6). The chase was never going to be straightforward for India, especially with star opener Smriti Mandhana missing out due to a finger injury. That feeling only heightened when India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur miscued a slog sweep in the 14th over to be caught by Maroof at short third, leaving them with 57 to get from 39 deliveries.
But Rodrigues and Ghosh, two young stars of this team, came to the fore and delivered victory with an over to spare for the runners-up of the 2020 edition. Their unbroken 58-run partnership in 33 balls trumped the efforts of Maroof and Naseem, whose 81-run stand in 47 balls played a significant role in Pakistan’s competitive total.
With India needing 41 from the final four overs, the two batters had to play their cards right. They scored 13 runs in off-spinner Nida Dar’s over and took 14 runs off the 18th over bowled by seamer Aiman Anwer. That was where the game slipped out of Pakistan’s grasp.
For Ghosh, who slammed three successive fours against Anwer in that 18th over, this was another evening to remember. The 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batter was part of India U-19's World Cup win in South Africa just a couple of weeks ago. The satisfaction of hitting the winning runs went to Rodrigues, driving Fatima Sana inside out for a boundary to also complete a half-century.
“Jemimah and Richa batted really well. All the players are keen to do well for the team. Whoever is getting an opportunity is pushing themselves. Good sign for us,” Harmanpreet said after the game.
Though this is Pakistan’s fifth defeat in seven T20 World Cup games against their neighbours, they can derive hope from their batting display. When Maroof and 18-year-old Naseem came together in the 13th over, the girls in green had lost four wickets for 68 runs and seemed headed for a total in the range of 105-115 at best. All that changed with the entry of Naseem, who couldn’t have chosen a grander stage to show why she is among the game’s brighter talents. She injected some much-needed purpose into the Pakistan innings with her power-hitting prowess, forcing the Indian bowlers to deviate from their set plans.
Naseem's first boundary came off her fourth ball, a fierce thump over mid-off against seamer Pooja Vastrakar. A couple of overs later, it was the turn of Renuka Singh to bear the brunt of Naseem's power. Clearly relishing the extra pace, the right-handed batter went down on one knee and thwacked the seamer for a six over long-off. She followed it up with a four straight down the ground, piercing the gap between the long-off and long-on fielders.
Maroof, who was going along at just over run-a-ball till the end of the 17th over, also upped the ante in the final stage of the innings. She got to her half-century off 45 balls with a tickle past short third for four, and then found the boundary twice more to give the Pakistan dugout a considerable lift.
Naseem benefitted from India's sloppy fielding in the death overs. She was dropped by Radha Yadav in the penultimate over while Harleen Deol, stationed at long off, parried a ball over the boundary for six in the final over of the innings.
India take on West Indies in their next game on Wednesday while Pakistan will face Ireland.
