Colombo, Oct 5 (NationPress) The captain of India, Harmanpreet Kaur, expressed her appreciation for the bowlers who were instrumental in securing an impressive 88-run victory over Pakistan during the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup match held at the R Premadasa Stadium. She mentioned her hope that the victory brought joy to everyone back in India. India set a target of 247 runs on a challenging pitch, successfully dismissing Pakistan for 159, largely due to the outstanding performances by Kranti Gaud and Deepti Sharma, each taking three wickets. “We are very pleased with this outcome; it's a crucial match for us, and I'm confident our supporters at home are celebrating our success,” Harmanpreet stated after the match.

“Kranti bowled exceptionally well, and Renuka supported her effectively. We created numerous chances, and although we dropped a few, winning ultimately brings happiness,” she added during the post-match presentation.

She commended the batting difficulties faced, highlighting Richa Ghosh for her invaluable contribution of 25 not out, which helped stabilize their score. “Batting was challenging on this pitch; we aimed to bat longer and maximize our runs. The weather had impacted the pitch, making it tougher to bat. The key was maintaining our wickets. Richa played an essential role in helping us achieve that crucial 30 runs,” Harmanpreet explained.

This victory marked India's 12th win in women's ODIs against Pakistan, propelling them to the top of the points table. Looking forward, Harmanpreet mentioned the team's eagerness to maintain their momentum as they prepare to face South Africa in Visakhapatnam on October 9, followed by a match against the reigning champions, Australia, at the same location on October 12.

“There are many areas for improvement, but we are pleased with this win. We just want to carry our momentum forward. As we return to India, we understand how the pitches play there and will strategize accordingly,” she remarked.

Kranti, who achieved figures of 3-20, dedicated her success to her hometown of Ghuwara in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh. “This feels wonderful. I’m proud, and this is for my village,” she expressed.

“They’ve set up a large LED screen for viewing the match. Didi (Harman) suggested we take one slip out as the ball aged, but I insisted we keep it. My coaches provide me with basic advice, which I follow,” she recounted.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's captain Fatima Sana acknowledged that her team conceded too many runs at critical moments and fell significantly short in their batting performance, while praising Sidra Amin, who fought valiantly with a score of 81. “We allowed too many runs during the powerplay and in the death overs. I believe we should have restricted them to below 200 runs,” she stated.

“We opted for specialist batters in the top five, and they need to step up. We must express ourselves, develop long partnerships, and adapt to the conditions. Amin is a hardworking individual, and I hope she continues to excel,” she added.