BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Deepti Sharma took five wickets and India bowled out Pakistan for 106 to successfully begin their latest quest for a first Women’s Twenty20 World Cup title on Sunday.
Sharma spun out the last three wickets in five balls as India defended 170 and won by 64 runs in front of a heavily partisan Edgbaston crowd, a sell-out 18,814, a record attendance for a World Cup group match.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh pulled off a record chase on the same pitch to win the Netherlands’ first World Cup match. Bangladesh reached 141-4 with five balls remaining after having never scored more than 126 in a successful World Cup chase.
Sharma, Mandhana lead India
India labored through the powerplay but after Smriti Mandhana (68) was dropped on 27 off 24 balls, she was inspired by the life to lash out. She needed only another 10 balls to reach 50. She was dropped again on 55 and top-edged onto her own helmet, forcing a concussion check. She passed, smacked her ninth boundary and was out to a great low grab by Pakistan captain Fatima Sana.
Mandhana’s wicket started a mini collapse including captain Harmanpreet Kaur on 36. India started the 19th over at 132-5, hoping for 150. But Richa Ghosh exploded with 34 off 17 balls. With Sharma, they took 23 runs off World Cup debutant Tasmia Rubab, and Sana conceded 15 in the last over.
The sudden 170-6 was India’s highest score against Pakistan in T20 World Cups, and Pakistan had to blow away its previous best T20 chase of 156.
Pakistan started strong. Muneeba Ali was dropped twice, both times off Shreyanka Patil, as Pakistan achieved its highest powerplay score against India, 52-1.
But by the 10th over India was on top. Pakistan needed Ali to go big but she was run out in the 11th over on 41 from a great direct hit by Sharma on the run from backward point.
When Sana fell in the next over at 77-5, Pakistan fell away, too.
Sharma’s late burst made her the highest wicket-taker in women’s T20s, and Shree Charani supported her with 3-21. Sharma took 5-10, seven months after she took five wickets and made 58 in the final of the ODI World Cup victory against South Africa.
Ferdous flays the Netherlands
Bangladesh, replying to the Netherlands’ 139-8, was taken to the last over even after a great platform set by opening batter Juairiya Ferdous, who hit her second fifty since her T20 debut in January.
Ferdous had 26 of the first 27 runs and 33 of the 47 in the powerplay. But the 20-year-old also had two lives. On 7, the third umpire disputably ruled out a catch at deep midwicket by Sterre Kalis, and on 18 Ferdous was dropped.
Both of her sixes flew over the midwicket rope and by the time she was out for 50 off 33 balls at 67-1 in the eighth over, Bangladesh was almost halfway home.
Dutch spinners Silver and Heather Siegers and Caroline de Lange (2-27) slowed down Bangladesh but they weren’t persevered with. An unbeaten partnership of 56 between Sharmin Akhter and Shorna Akter clinched Bangladesh’s fourth win in seven T20 World Cups.
Netherlands captain Babette de Leede won the toss and the No. 3 batter held her team together with 50 from 45 balls until the 17th over when she was run out trying for a second run.
Bangladesh’s attack was led by medium-pacers Marufa Akter, 2-31, and Ritu Moni, 1-17.
On Tuesday, its New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka and England vs. Ireland.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Discover more from NAIRAVOICE.COM.NG
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
