Mount Maunganui [New Zealand]: Fighting knocks of Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar were backed up by all-round bowling performance as India defeated Pakistan by 107 runs in the fourth game of the ongoing ICC Women's 50-over World Cup here at the Bay Oval on Sunday.
Chasing 245, Pakistan batters Javeria Khan (11) and Bismah Maroof (15) failed to stay at the crease for a long haul and the side was reduced to 53/2 in the 18th over. Javeria was dismissed by Rajeshwari Gayakwad while Maroof was sent back to the pavilion by Deepti Sharma.
Pakistan kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and in the end, India registered a comfortable 107-run win. For India, Rajeshwari Gayakwad returned with four wickets.
Earlier, Pooja Vastrakar (67), Smriti Mandhana (52) and Sneh Rana (53*) were the standout performers as India posted 244/7. Opting to bat first, India got off to the worst start possible as Diana Baig clean bowled Shafali Verma (0) in the third over of the innings and this brought Deepti Sharma out to bat. The left-handed duo of Deepti and Mandhana revived India's innings and at the 15-over mark, Mithali Raj's side's score read 64/1.
Mandhana brought up her fifty in the 22nd over of the innings but the 92-run stand for the second wicket came to an end in the very same over as Nashra Sandhu bowled Deepti (40). Soon after, Anam Amin sent Mandhana (52) back to the pavilion while Nida Dar dismissed Harmanpreet Kaur (5) and Richa Ghosh (1) and hence, India was left in a spot of bother at 112/5 in the 31st over.
India's hopes were given a body blow in the 34th over as Nashra Sandhu got the better of Mithali (9) and India was left reeling at 114/6 with Rana and Vastrakar at the crease. Both batters completely changed the complexion of the game as the duo scored briskly. Vastrakar and Rana formed a 122-run stand for the seventh wicket. In the final five overs, India scored more runs to take the total past the 240-run mark.
Brief Scores: India 244/7 (Pooja Vastrakar 67, Sneh Rana 53*, Nashra Sandhu 2-36) vs Pakistan 137 all out (Sidra Ameen 30, Diana Baig 24; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 4-31). (ANI)
