Birmingham: India’s bowlers, led by off-spinner Sneh Rana (2-15) and left-arm spinner Radha Yadav (2-18), put out an impressive show to bowl out Pakistan for just 99 in their second Group A match of 2022 Commonwealth Games at Edgbaston.
Despite losing the toss and rain reducing the match to 18 overs per side, everything went right for the Indian bowlers. The pacers got the ball to nip around and then the spinners bowled slow and got some turn as well to never let Pakistan break free in the innings.
Sneh was the pick of the bowlers, with her double-wicket strike in the ninth over triggering Pakistan’s wobble, where they lost their last five wickets in eight balls. After Renuka Singh began with a maiden in the opening over, Meghana Singh tested Iram Javed with balls outside off-stump and eventually succeeded in getting her nick behind to wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia.
Muneeba Ali came out of her shell by slamming Renuka for back-to-back boundaries – a slash over point was followed by hoick through mid-wicket. Despite India continuing to maintain the pressure on Pakistan, Muneeba found boundaries against Meghana – a four off top-edge on pull was followed by a crunched slog over deep mid-wicket.
Her 50-run stand with captain Bismah Maroof came to an end when the latter was trapped lbw while trying to sweep off Sneh. One brought two for India as Muneeba gave a simple return catch back to Sneh operating with round-the-wicket angle for the left-handers.
Renuka had her first wicket of the day by getting Ayesha Naseem to mistime a slog to running deep mid-wicket taking a sharp catch. A confusion in the middle caused the run-out of Omaima Sohail.
Aliya Riaz hit two boundaries in a bid to give Pakistan a good finish. But a direct hit from Meghana at mid-off caught her a yard short of the crease. On the very next ball, Shafali Verma completed a stunning low return catch to send Fatima Sana back to the pavilion.
Radha Yadav had Diana stumped in the final over while Tuba Hassan was run-out by a throw in the deep by substitute fielder Harleen Deol. She finished off by having Kainat Imtiaz stumped on the final ball of the innings to end Pakistan’s misery with the bat.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 99 all out in 18 overs (Muneeba Ali 32, Aliya Riaz 18; Sneh Rana 2-15, Radha Yadav 2-18) against India
(IANS)
