New Delhi: With the match in the balance, nature intervened to ensure Pakistan would walk away winners in their needle clash against India in the women’s section of the ICC World Twenty20 at the Kotla here on Saturday.
It was India’s first defeat and left them level with Pakistan on one loss and a win apiece. After restricting the Mithali Raj-led home side to a mere 96/7 in the first session, Pakistan were in some strife at 77/6 themselves after a bright start when the heavens opened up.
Time finally ran out for India, who were at that time two runs behind on the Duckworth/Lewis method for interrupted matches, leaving Sana Mir’ team understandably jubilant after the hard work they had put in to keep the hosts down to a meagre total. Batting first, India had managed just 96/7, Veda Krishnamurthy making 24. When the rain came with the visitors at 77/6 in 16 overs, the D/L par score was 75, meaning that Pakistan were two runs ahead at that point of time. Sidra Ameen scored 26 for Pakistan.
Said Pakistan skipper Mir later, “Very important win for us. The plan was to put them under pressure right from the word go. We have won games by one run, and lost games by a couple of runs so as a unit, we take a lot of pride in our fielding and bowling and this is the way forward.”
