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India made a confident start to their campaign in the women’s ODI World Cup, thrashing Pakistan by 107 runs in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, on Sunday.
Defending a challenging total of 244 for 7, which was possible thanks to dour half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana, Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar, the women in blue shot out their counterparts in green for 137 in 43 overs.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad bagged 3 wickets for 32 runs in her 10 overs, while Julhan Goswami (2-26 in 10), Deepti Sharma (1-31 in 7) and Sneh Rana (2-27 in 9) accounted for the other Pakistan wickets.
Pakistan were precariously placed at 78 for 5 at the halfway stage of their innings, 167 runs away from victory.
India were rewarded for some tight bowling early on, limiting Pakistan to just 26 for no loss at the end of the powerplay.
The pressure got to the openers as Javeria Khan departed in the 11th over, trying to take the aerial route.
After that, the Indian spinners made scoring difficult, as Deepti and Rana took the important wickets of Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof and Omaima Sohail respectively.
Goswami then got into the act, dismissing the settled Sidra Ameen, who was caught behind.
She struck again in her next over, dismissing Dar for 4 as Pakistan stared at a big defeat.
It was pleasing to see Goswami, even after so many years, running in hard and giving everything for the team.
This was Pakistan's 15th defeat while chasing in women's World Cup games.
Earlier, opting to bat, India were under pressure after opener Shafali Verma was dismissed for a duck.
However, a 92-run stand between Mandhana (52 off 75) and Deepti Sharma (40) helped steady the innings.
Pakistan came back strongly by claiming a flurry of wickets, including the scalps of skipper Mithali Raj (9), playing a record sixth World Cup, and her deputy Haramanpreet Kaur (5).
The 39-year-old Mithali became only the third cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar and Javed Miandad to appear in six World Cups and the first woman to attain the milestone.
Rana (53 not out) and Vastrakar (67) then shared a crucial 122-run partnership to take team to a respectable total.
For Pakistan, spinners Nida Dar (2/45) and Nashra Sandhu (2/36) snared two wickets each.