India beat Pakistan by 107 runs at Women’s World Cup

Mount Maunganui, New Zealand (AP) — Pooja Rastraka made a career-best 69 in a 112-run seventh-wicket partnership with Sneh Rana which lifted India to a 107-run win over Pakistan in its opening match Sunday at the Women’s Cricket World Cup.

India was the first team in four matches at the tournament to bat first on winning the toss. The other three teams, New Zealand against the West Indies, Bangladesh against South Africa and England against Australia, all bowled first and failed in run chases.

In Sunday’s match, India made a commanding 244-7, then defended its total superbly through the spin bowling of Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Deepti Sharma and Rana as Pakistan struggled to generate momentum and was out for 137 in 43 overs.

Left-armer Gayakwad and off-spinners Sharma and Rana bowled with relentless accuracy to a suffocating off-side field and the Pakistan batters couldn’t find profitable scoring areas. Gayakwad took 4-31 from her 10 overs. There wasn’t much turn from the pitch at the Bay Oval but the India spinners used flight and drop to restrict Pakistan. After five overs Pakistan was 6-0, after 15 overs 43-1, after 20 overs 65-3.

Brief scores: India 244/7 in 50 overs (Pooja Vastrakar 67, Ssneh Rana 53*, Smriti Mandhana 52; Nashra Sandhu 2-36, Nida Dar 2-45) beat Pakistan 137 all out in 43 overs (Sidra Ameen 30; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 4-31, Sneh Rana 2-27, Jhulan Goswami 2-26) by 107 runs.