Rajeshwari Gayakwad led the way with a four-wicket haul as India started the 2022 Women's World Cup with a 107-run thrashing of arch-rivals Pakistan. Batting first, India scored 244/7 after which Pakistan were skittled out for just 137 runs. Gayakwad recorded figures of 4/31 in her spell while veteran fast bowler Jhulan Goswami took two wickets.Pakistan could only score 28 runs in the first 10 overs and it was Gayakwad who took the first wicket, dismissing opener Javeria Khan in the 11th over. Pakistan were unable to get any momentum going in their innings and lost four wickets between the 18th and 24th overs, finding themselves tottering at 70/5.
They eventually went down to their last wicket for 114 runs after which Anam Amin and Diana Baig kept the Indians waiting for just under six overs. Meghna Singh ended the match by dismissing Diana. India have now played 11 matches against Pakistan in the Women's World Cup and won all the games. Pooja Vastrakar (67), Smriti Mandhana (52) and Sneh Rana (53*) were the standout performers as India posted 244/7 against Pakistan in the fourth game of the ongoing ICC Women's 50-over World Cup here at the Bay Oval on Sunday.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.
