Deepti Sharma takes 5-10 as India beat Pakistan by 64 runs — World Cup Cricket

Deepti Sharma’s 5-10 powered India to a 64-run win over Pakistan in world cup cricket at Birmingham, where Harmanpreet Kaur’s side opened the Women’s T20 World Cup with a victory. India’s 170 for 6 gave Pakistan a chase that never settled, and the result also stretched Pakistan’s losing run against India in Twenty20 internationals to four straight matches.

Mandhana Sets India’s Pace

Smriti Mandhana made 68 off 44 balls and gave India the scoring base it needed after Shafali Verma hit a first-ball six before Sadia Iqbal dismissed her. Harmanpreet Kaur added to the pressure at the top of the innings, and India reached 170 for 6 after Mandhana and Kaur put on 91 runs inside 11 overs.

Jemimah Rodrigues made 1, but India still carried enough momentum into the innings break to leave Pakistan needing a sharp reply. Fatima Sana won the toss and chose to bat first, and the match began without a handshake between the two captains after the toss.

Deepti Sharma Breaks The Chase

Pakistan’s chase started with brief control, ending the powerplay on 52 for one while pursuing 171. Muneeba Ali made 41 before Deepti Sharma ran her out with a direct hit, and Pakistan then slid to 79 for six inside 13 overs.

Deepti kept striking through the middle and finished with 5 for 10 as Pakistan were bowled out for 106. That left India with a 64-run margin and another win in a rivalry that has now gone four Twenty20 internationals without a Pakistan victory against them.

Edgbaston Turns Blue

Edgbaston drew an announced crowd of 18,814, and the ground was overwhelmingly more blue than green. The final wicket brought no handshake between the players, extending the cold edge that has followed recent India-Pakistan meetings.

For India, the start is clean: a tournament win built on Mandhana’s 68 and Deepti’s spell, with the scoreboard doing the talking. Pakistan, meanwhile, leave Birmingham with a chase that unraveled fast after 52 for one and a fourth straight Twenty20 defeat against India.