Colombo, Oct 5: The biggest concern heading into the India–Pakistan clash at the R Premadasa Stadium was the threat of rain, which had earlier washed out the Australia–Sri Lanka match. But the weather gods stayed kind, allowing a full contest in which India reaffirmed their dominance over Pakistan with a commanding 88-run victory in the 2025 Women’s World Cup on Sunday.

Defending 247, the Indian bowlers were relentless, with Kranti Goud (3-20) and Deepti Sharma (3-45) leading the charge to bowl out Pakistan for 159 in 43 overs. The result also marks India’s 12th victory over Pakistan in the format and takes them to top of the points table in the competition.

The tone for India’s was set by Kranti, who maintained a stump to stump line and Renuka Singh Thakur, who along with the youngster extracted swing and seam movement in both directions, leaving Pakistan’s top order searching for answers.

As a result, Pakistan found themselves behind the required rate within the first 15 overs, a deficit they never quite recovered from, despite a gritty 81 off 106 balls from Sidra Amin. She reached her fifty in 82 deliveries and was dropped four times during her innings, but found little support from the rest of the lineup as India’s bowlers tightened the screws, and ensured their unbeaten record against their arch-rivals remains intact.

Pakistan’s chase lacked conviction from the word go, with the batters having no answers to a barrage of inswingers from Renuka and Kranti. India, despite missing three plumb lbw chances and burning both reviews, kept the pressure on - though Richa Ghosh’s two missed catches could’ve made the scorecard leaner.

Muneeba Ali’s dismissal was bizarre - initially ruled not out, she was run out by a direct hit from Deepti due to lifting her bat after having grounded it first. Sadaf Shamas fell to a tame caught-and-bowled dismissal to Kranti, who had Aliya Riaz edging to second slip.

After Kranti and Renuka bowled 15 overs combined, Natalia Pervaiz got some power by lofting and sweeping Sneh Rana for two fours, before Sidra lofted against the off-spinner and N Shree Charani for six and four respectively. Natalia then took successive boundaries off Deepti Sharma, even as Richa shelled another chance to give Sidra a reprieve.

Sidra and Natalia continued to garner runs at a brisk pace against the spinners, especially with some ordinary fielding by India and Charani being off the field after picking an injury while diving to save a boundary. But Kranti provided the breakthrough when she forced Natalia to hit down the ground, and was caught by backward point to end the 69-run stand.

Sidra continued to wage a gritty battle, even Fatima Sana Khan, Sidra Nawaz and Rameen Shamim fell in quick succession. She was finally out for 81 when she swept to square leg off Sneh and from there, the result became a foregone conclusion as India got their second straight win of the competition.

Previously, India’s batting continued to struggle before Richa’s quick cameo of 35 not out took them to a respectable total. On a sluggish pitch, India’s innings lacked fluency and struggled to rotate strike, as Pakistan’s bowlers bowled wicket-to-wicket and smartly varied their pace.

Several batters got starts but failed to convert into a big score, as India played 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, where India added 44 runs, that the total gained some respectability.

India’s innings stretched over four hours due to multiple interruptions, including players leaving the field for pest control measures for 15 minutes. 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 Baig.

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 struck 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 Iqbal, but saw her off-stump being rattled by the quicker delivery.

Pakistan’s disciplined bowling meant India couldn’t really break free. That effort brought reward for them as Diana had Harmanpreet tickling one down leg to keeper Sidra. 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-fourth 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.

Post that, 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 not going at a very brisk pace, Sneh, 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 took a four each off the spinner.

Richa then brought out the switch-hit for taking a four off Diana, before being dropped by a near-collision between Sidra and Natalia. 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, which was enough for an Indian side to get a huge win over Pakistan on a fourth straight Sunday meeting between the two teams.

Brief Scores: India 247 in 50 overs (Harleen Deol 46, Richa Ghosh 35 not out; Diana Baig 4-69, Fatima Sana Khan 2-38) beat Pakistan 159 in 43 overs (Sidra Amin 81, Natalia Pervaiz 33; Kranti Goud 3-20, Deepti Sharma 3-45) by 88 runs.

(IANS)

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