NEW DELHI: The contrasting knocks of Harleen Deol and Richa Ghosh, backed by disciplined bowling, propelled India to a commanding 88-run victory over Pakistan in a drama-filled ICC Women’s World Cup clash in Colombo on Sunday. Sent in to bat on a slow track, India found stability in Deol’s composed 46 off 65 balls and the blitzkrieg of Richa Ghosh, whose 20-ball 35* at the death pushed India to a competitive 247 all out.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Despite a series of early miscues, including a controversial toss in Pakistan’s favour and a 15-minute delay due to bugs invading the field, India’s bowlers dismantled Pakistan’s chase. Kranti Gaud (3/20) spearheaded the effort, tearing through the top order, while spinners Deepti Sharma (3/45) and Shree Charani (2/38) cleaned up the middle and lower order. Sidra Amin’s valiant 81 off 106 balls and Natalia Pervaiz’s 33 offered resistance, but the rest of Pakistan’s lineup faltered. With this win, India extended their perfect ODI head-to-head record against Pakistan to 12-0.As it happened: India vs PakistanHarleen Deol anchors India inningsIndia’s batting stumbled on a sluggish surface early on, with opener Smriti Mandhana (23) falling inside the powerplay while Pratika Rawal (31) offered a brisk start. Harleen Deol’s steady 46 stitched together partnerships at crucial moments, including a 39-run stand with Harmanpreet Kaur (19) and 45 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues (32). Deol’s composed strokeplay anchored India through a tricky middle overs phase, providing the platform for Richa Ghosh to accelerate towards the end.Harmanpreet’s dismissal to an inside edge momentarily halted momentum, and Jemimah Rodrigues fell for 32 after an early reprieve on a no-ball. Nevertheless, the experienced pair of Deepti Sharma (25) and Sneh Rana (20) added a 42-run partnership, keeping India competitive before Richa Ghosh’s late flurry pushed the team to 247.
Harleen Deol of India bats as wicket keeper Sidra Nawaz of Pakistan looks on. (Getty Images)
Kranti Gaud dismantles Pakistan top orderPakistan’s chase of 248 began in disarray when opener Muneeba Ali (2) was spectacularly run out by Deepti Sharma after momentarily wandering out of the crease. Kranti Gaud then struck twice in quick succession, removing Sadaf Shamas (6) caught and bowled, followed by Aliya Riaz (2), leaving Pakistan reeling at 26/3.The Indian bowling attack maintained relentless pressure, with Gaud exploiting the pitch’s pace and bounce, while Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani applied control with clever variations. The disciplined lines and lengths forced Pakistan to play under pressure, denying them rhythm or momentum in the chase.Sidra Amin and Natalia Pervaiz provide fleeting resistanceAfter early blows, Pakistan’s middle-order duo of Sidra Amin (81 off 106) and Natalia Pervaiz (33) attempted to stabilise the innings, adding a 69-run stand that briefly threatened to turn the tide. Amin played a composed knock, continuing her form from the recent South Africa series, finding boundaries at intervals and rotating strike well.However, once Gaud and the Indian bowlers broke the partnership, wickets fell at regular intervals. Deepti Sharma’s tight spell ensured Pakistan never recovered, and despite Sidra Amin’s lone fight, Pakistan were bowled out for 159 in 43 overs, sealing India’s comfortable 88-run victory.
India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her team members celebrate the win. (AP/PTI Photo)
Post-match reactions: Praise for Kranti, focus on momentumIndia captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised her bowlers and the late contributions with the bat: “Very happy, important win. Our bowling was great, Kranti was outstanding. Richa then gave us 30 crucial runs… we wanted to see how much we got on a slow, holding pitch. Right now, I’m happy we won.”Kranti Gaud, Player of the Match, said: “Feeling really good that I’m the Player of the Match in a World Cup match. People in my village would be proud.” Pakistan captain Fatima Sana acknowledged her team’s struggles despite Amin’s resistance, emphasizing the need for partnerships in future matches.India’s win highlighted a balanced performance of patience, aggression, and disciplined bowling, reinforcing their dominance over Pakistan in ODI cricket while keeping tournament momentum firmly in their favour.
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