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India started their 2022 World Cup campaign with a comprehensive win over arch-rivals Pakistan. The Mithali Raj-led team beat the Women in Green by a massive 107 runs. There were multiple heroes in India's win. While it was Smriti Mandhana, Pooja Vastrakar, and Sneh Rana with the bat, it was Rajeshwari Gayakwad with the ball. The left-arm bowler claimed four wickets at the expense of 31 runs in her 10 overs quota.
After choosing to bat first, India posted 244/7 on the board on the back of batting heroics from Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana. In the bowling department, Gaikwad spun a web around Pakistan batters and never allowed them to settle. She received good support from veteran bowler Jhulan Goswami and Sneh Rana. Both the bowlers took a brace and helped India reduce Pakistan for a mere 137 runs.
However, it was not a walk in the park for the Women in Blue as Pakistan looked in control in the first half. Starting with the ball for Pakistan, Diana Baig removed youngster Shafali Verma really quickly. But a 92-run stand between Deepti Sharma and Smriti Mandhana lifted India a bit. Sharma got dismissed after scoring 40 and was followed by Mandhana in the dressing room who departed after scoring a 75-ball 52. The onus was then on the captain and vice-captain in the middle. But they faltered and faltered big time. While Kaur went cheaply (5 off 14), Raj struggled to break free and departed after managing 9 runs off 36 balls.
Vastrakar, Rana fight back
With six wickets down at the score of 114 in 33.1 overs, India was struggling to go past 200. Two youngsters, Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana, both playing their first World Cup match, were in the middle. But geez, they not only avoided a collapse but scored runs at a brisk rate. While the 22-year-old Vastrakar took the attack to the opposition, Rana played cautiously.
In the process, Pooja got to her second half-century in WODIs. She was also struggling with her ankle and was finding it hard to run between the wickets. But the young lady's spirit proved too much to overcome the pain and she kept scoring. Vastrakar perished while trying to up the ante but, on the other end, Rana continued her knock and bagged a half-century. On the back of these two batting performances, India posted 244/7.
The Gayakwad show!
In the bowling department, it was all about Rajeshwari Gaikwad who claimed a four-fer in the end. India struggled to strike in the powerplay, but the left-arm spinner struck in her very first over, removing the experienced Javeria Khan. The gate was opened, and India kept striking at regular intervals. Experienced campaigner Jhulan Goswami also supported Gayakwad as she ended the match with the figures of 10-1-26-2. Sneh Rana also chipped in with two wickets helping India beat Pakistan for the fourth time in a World Cup game.