Deepti Sharma delivered a career-best spell of 5 for 10 as India crushed Pakistan by 64 runs in their Women's T20 World Cup 2024 opener at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Sunday, 14 June. Anchored by Smriti Mandhana's fluent 68 and a late blitz from Richa Ghosh (34), India posted 170 for 6 before Deepti's off-spin and N Sree Charani's 3 for 21 reduced Pakistan to 106 all out in 17 overs.

India's Batting: Mandhana Sets the Platform

Smriti Mandhana was the cornerstone of India's innings, crafting a fluent 68 that gave the side a commanding base. Harmanpreet Kaur chipped in with 36, while Richa Ghosh's late assault of 34 accelerated India to 170 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs. For Pakistan, Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal each took 2 wickets, conceding 33 and 41 runs respectively, but the total proved well beyond their reach.

Pakistan's Promising Start Unravels

Pakistan began their chase with rare aggression, racing to 52 for 1 in the powerplay — their highest six-over score against India in Women's T20 World Cups. Muneeba Ali, dropped twice in the first four overs, made India pay with four fluent boundaries before eventually falling for 41. Gull Feroza also looked threatening before reverse-sweeping to backward point off Deepti. The powerplay surge, however, proved a false dawn.

Deepti Sharma Weaves a Spin Web

The middle overs belonged entirely to India's spinners. Deepti Sharma, bowling slower through the air and maintaining relentless dot-ball pressure, had Ayesha Zafar sweeping to short fine leg before a direct hit from backward point ran out Muneeba Ali — the moment that broke Pakistan's back. Pakistan collapsed from 75 for 3 to 106 all out, losing their last 7 wickets for just 31 runs. Fatima Sana fell for a three-ball duck to Shafali Verma, while Natalia Pervaiz, Aliya Riaz (18), and Rameen Shamim all failed to resist. Deepti rounded off the innings by claiming the final two wickets to complete her five-for — the best figures of her international career.

Sree Charani Complements the Spin Attack

Left-arm spinner N Sree Charani was equally impressive, finishing with 3 for 21. She removed Saira Jabeen via a leading edge to short cover and dismissed Natalia Pervaiz and Aliya Riaz to keep the pressure unrelenting from both ends. The combined spin stranglehold underlined India's tactical depth in conditions that rewarded slower bowling.

India Assert Dominance, Boost Net Run Rate

The victory hands India 2 points and a strong net run rate as they launch their Women's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. This result extends India's dominance over Pakistan in ICC T20 World Cup encounters. With the win coming in emphatic fashion, India will look to carry this momentum into their remaining group-stage fixtures.

Brief Scores: India 170 for 6 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 68, Harmanpreet Kaur 36; Fatima Sana 2-33, Sadia Iqbal 2-41) beat Pakistan 106 all out in 17 overs (Muneeba Ali 41, Aliya Riaz 18; Deepti Sharma 5-10, N Sree Charani 3-21) by 64 runs.