06/14/26 01:16:00
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06/14 13:14 CDT Deepti Sharma rips through Pakistan as India opens its Women's
T20 World Cup quest with big win
Deepti Sharma rips through Pakistan as India opens its Women's T20 World Cup
quest with big win
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) --- Deepti Sharma took five wickets and India bowled
out Pakistan for 106 to successfully begin their latest quest for a first
Women's Twenty20 World Cup title on Sunday.
Sharma spun out the last three wickets in five balls as India defended 170 and
won by 64 runs in front of a heavily partisan Edgbaston crowd, a sell-out
18,814, a record attendance for a World Cup group match.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh pulled off a record chase on the same pitch to win the
Netherlands' first World Cup match. Bangladesh reached 141-4 with five balls
remaining after having never scored more than 126 in a successful World Cup
chase.
Sharma, Mandhana lead India
India labored through the powerplay but after Smriti Mandhana (68) was dropped
on 27 off 24 balls, she was inspired by the life to lash out. She needed only
another 10 balls to reach 50. She was dropped again on 55 and top-edged onto
her own helmet, forcing a concussion check. She passed, smacked her ninth
boundary and was out to a great low grab by Pakistan captain Fatima Sana.
Mandhana's wicket started a mini collapse including captain Harmanpreet Kaur on
36. India started the 19th over at 132-5, hoping for 150. But Richa Ghosh
exploded with 34 off 17 balls. With Sharma, they took 23 runs off World Cup
debutant Tasmia Rubab, and Sana conceded 15 in the last over.
The sudden 170-6 was India's highest score against Pakistan in T20 World Cups,
and Pakistan had to blow away its previous best T20 chase of 156.
Pakistan started strong. Muneeba Ali was dropped twice, both times off
Shreyanka Patil, as Pakistan achieved its highest powerplay score against
India, 52-1.
But by the 10th over India was on top. Pakistan needed Ali to go big but she
was run out in the 11th over on 41 from a great direct hit by Sharma on the run
from backward point.
When Sana fell in the next over at 77-5, Pakistan fell away, too.
Sharma's late burst made her the highest wicket-taker in women's T20s, and
Shree Charani supported her with 3-21. Sharma took 5-10, seven months after she
took five wickets and made 58 in the final of the ODI World Cup victory against
South Africa.
Ferdous flays the Netherlands
Bangladesh, replying to the Netherlands' 139-8, was taken to the last over even
after a great platform set by opening batter Juairiya Ferdous, who hit her
second fifty since her T20 debut in January.
Ferdous had 26 of the first 27 runs and 33 of the 47 in the powerplay. But the
20-year-old also had two lives. On 7, the third umpire disputably ruled out a
catch at deep midwicket by Sterre Kalis, and on 18 Ferdous was dropped.
Both of her sixes flew over the midwicket rope and by the time she was out for
50 off 33 balls at 67-1 in the eighth over, Bangladesh was almost halfway home.
Dutch spinners Silver and Heather Siegers and Caroline de Lange (2-27) slowed
down Bangladesh but they weren't persevered with. An unbeaten partnership of 56
between Sharmin Akhter and Shorna Akter clinched Bangladesh's fourth win in
seven T20 World Cups.
Netherlands captain Babette de Leede won the toss and the No. 3 batter held her
team together with 50 from 45 balls until the 17th over when she was run out
trying for a second run.
Bangladesh's attack was led by medium-pacers Marufa Akter, 2-31, and Ritu Moni,
1-17.
On Tuesday, its New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka and England vs. Ireland.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
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