Sidra Amin raises half-century but Pakistan batters struggle otherwise in chase of 248 against India.
Abyan Amir is reporting live from R. Premadasa Stadium. This story is being updated live over by over; please refresh for the latest updates.
Over 35 — Pakistan 124/5
Charani back into the attack from round the wicket and bowls a decent over for just two runs. She induces a half-chance on the last ball of the over, but Ghosh cant collect it cleanly.
Over 34 — Pakistan 122/5
Eight runs off that Singh over as Sidra smashes yet another boundary. Pakistan need her to stay at the crease and take this innings deep with 126 to get off 16 overs.
Over 33 — Pakistan 114/5
Sidra smacks Sharma through the covers courtesy not one but two misfields by the Indian fielders — who have not had a good day in the field at all.
Over 32 — Pakistan 106/5
Singh is back into the attack and just four off the over. Keeper Sidra Nawaz joins the other Sidra at the crease with Pakistan in need of a partnership.
50 up for Sidra as she plays a lone hand in this Pakistani batting effort.
Over 31 — Pakistan 102/5
Gauds still bowling with some zip and the Pakistani captain seems to be in a hurry, nearly miscuing one to covers. The over ends with just two off it.
Sharma gets the breakthrough for India as the Pakistani skipper did not give herself time before going onto the attack. Pakistan are teetering with half their side out for 102. Sidra needs some support from the other end.
Over 30 — Pakistan 101/4
With dew on offer, Pakistan need to take it deep as India will be resorting to their spinners later in the innings. The pacers have nearly bowled their quota off overs.
Over 29 — Pakistan 99/4
Four runs off that Rana over with one close miss for Sidra, Pakistan near a hundred as the Indian pacers are back in their second spell.
Over 28 — Pakistan 95/4
Natalia falls after a valiant 33, she put on 69 runs along with Sidra to rescue Pakistan from 30-3. She loses shape while trying to hit out Gaud who gets a wicket first ball after her return into the attack. Captain Fatima is the next batter in — she’s a bit of a maverick with the bat and Pakistan need a crucial contribution from her today.
Over 27 — Pakistan 95/3
Sharma ends a quiet over, giving away just five runs. The towels are out as dew has set in now.
Over 26 — Pakistan 90/3
The Indian fielders are feeling the pressure now as yet another misfield gets Sidra another boundary through square-leg. Ends a decent over by Sharma with a boundary.
Over 25 — Pakistan 84/3
Rana bowls a relatively cheaper over after being expensive earlier on, giving away just three. The Indian skipper is frustrated as the Pakistani batters continue to build on their start.
Over 24 — Pakistan 81/3
Sharma ends another flat over as the runs continue to come easy for Pakistan, there is dew forming on the press box windows, which means that Pakistan’s chase will only get easier once the dew sets in. Six runs came off that over.
Over 23 — Pakistan 75/3
Sidra, this time, get a boundary; driving Charani through the covers for a handsome four. The required rate has climbed well over six and Pakistan need more of these.
Over 22 — Pakistan 69/3
At last, something that Pakistan needed. Two boundaries off the first two balls coming from Natalia’s bat — the first coming over long-on and the second past deep square. A partnership seems to be blossoming, although Sidra was lucky to see an edge spilled by Ghosh.
Over 21 — Pakistan 58/3
Charani bowls another tight over, giving away just one run. Pakistan need to get a move on.
Over 20 — Pakistan 57/3
Four singles off Sharma’s first over. Pakistan also survive a runout. It’s becoming testing for Pakistan and the required rate keeps on rising.
Over 19 — Pakistan 53/3
50 up for Pakistan with that boundary. The green shirts are slowly and surely shifting the momentum back.
Over 18 — Pakistan 47/3
First six of the innings by Sidra, who’s in red hot form. She plants her front foot and swats the Indian spinner over long-on. Pakistan are on the prowl as they near their 50 with nine of that over. Rana is off to an expensive start.
This the first six ever by a Pak batter against India in ODI format!
Over 17 — Pakistan 38/3
Shree Charani starts off with a maiden just as the Pakistani batting effort was gaining momentum.
Over 16 — Pakistan 38/3
Two welcome boundaries coming for Pakistan. Natalia Pervaiz hits Sneh Rana down the ground for four and then sweeps her away for another. Four dots otherwise but eight runs off the over.
15 OVER ANALYSIS
At the 15th over mark, India have made good use of the swing on offer at Colombo under lights to restrict Pakistan to 30-3.
Pakistan need to step on the accelerator as the ball gets old and will need to counter the Indian spin attack as well in helpful conditions. Dew is improbable at this point due to the cloud cover in Colombo.
Over 15 — Pakistan 30/3
That’s some stamina by Singh, 8 back to back overs! Sidra does finally end the blockathon to get a double through the covers for the only scoring shot of the over.
Over 14 — Pakistan 28/3
Two runs of the 14th as Goud is also continuing her extended spell. The Pakistani batters continue to let the new ball get old on its own.
Over 13 — Pakistan 26/3
Singh bowls her seventh over on the trot. Kaur is giving her pacers an extended spell to make use of the movement on offer under the lights. She ends her seventh with a maiden.
Over 12 — Pakistan 26/3
India’s lost review doesn’t come to haunt them yet as Aliya Riaz falls cheaply. She gets dismissed while guiding the ball straight into the hands of second slip as Gaud gets her second.
The Pakistani batting innings is going nowhere as the conditions in Colombo are helping the Indian new ball attack.
Over 11 — Pakistan 26/2
Renuka continues her spell after the power play as the Pakistani batters continue their blockathon. They need to get the momentum back and soon.
Over 10 — Pakistan 25/2
Pakistan end the power play at 25-2 as Goud ends a good opening spell with figures of 1-10 ably supported by Singh from the other end.
Muneeba’s dismissal continues to be a talking point in the press box.
Over 9 — Pakistan 23/2
Sidra gets a life as she is dropped at slip off Singh. The indian pacer continues to trouble the Pakistani batters.
Aliya Riaz is the new batter in for Pakistan, she’s a veteran of many chases for Pakistan and needs to bring her A-game today.
Over 8 — Pakistan 22/2
Pakistan lose another as Shams falls after a scrappy innings to Goud. The Indian pacer finally gets a wicket after creating half-chances earlier on.
Over 7 — Pakistan 21/1
Thakur keeping things tight. Just two runs off it — one of them being a wide. Pakistan are struggling for runs.
Over 6 — Pakistan 18/1
The lbw shouts continue as Pakistan get some momentum into their innings. Sidra edges Gaud for a streaky boundary as the over goes for five.
Over 5 — Pakistan 13/1
Sidra is off the mark with a cracker of a boundary as Singh continues to bowl hard lengths. The Pakistani batter is in red hot form with 2 centuries and a 50 coming into the World Cup.
Over 4 — Pakistan 6/1
Muneeba is adjudged run out as Goud bowls another tight over. That was a controversial call by the third umpire. The southpaw batter had grounded her bat after an lbw appeal but was given out after she raised it at the moment the bails came off.
Over 3 — Pakistan 5/0
Singh continues to extract movement as Muneeba plays her spell out carefully. The ball is moving around under the Colombo lights. Just one run off the over.
Over 2 — Pakistan 4/0
Goud starts off with a decent over as Sadaf Shamas is still to get off the mark. She’s played 7 dots so far as the Indian team look to make a match of this score.
Over 1 — Pakistan 2/0
A bit of drama first ball as India go for an lbw review. Replays show the the ball pitches way outside leg. The co-host have lost a review on the first ball of the innings.
Renuka Singh starts off with a zing, just two off the over as Muneeba adjusts to the pace.
Pakistan go into the second innings with a great chance of making it over the line. They still have to contend with India’s new ball attack under lights in Colombo, where it tends to do a bit. They also have to tackle Deepti Sharma who has been in decent touch with the ball. The pitch spun later in the innings but the new ball came out beautifully onto the bat.
There were plenty of stops in between due to bugs, fumigation and the numerous drink breaks.
Diana Baig ended up with four wickets and cleaned up India’s tail as well but it was captain Fatima Sana who shifted the momentum after a good start for India in the power play.
Pakistan can make this a night to remember in Colombo if they bat as well as they bowled in the first innings.
Jemimah Rodrigues after the match (On the bugs and the disruption it caused): “To be honest, I had to concentrate a lot more because you could not see much, but you have to do what you have to do.
(On the pitch) “It was not an easy pitch because it was covered for 48 hours. Moisture on the pitch and that was giving it a bit of hold. This is a fighting total for us.”
Over 50 — India 247 all out
Diana returns to bowl the final over of the innings and bowls India out for 247. Despite cleaning off the Indian tail the Pakistani pacer still went for runs as Ghosh ends 35 not out.
Over 49 — India 236/8
Sadia returns, Sadia strikes. The wily left-arm spinner ends with figures of 2-47 and has troubled the Indian batters throughout. India still get 11 off the over though Kranti Goud’s boundaries.
Baig to bowl the last over. Pakistan have been penalised for their lackluster over-rate too, and they now need to have an extra fielder inside the circle.
Over 48 — India 225/7
Yet another expensive over for Diana, she’s been really hot and cold with her bowling today. Gosh smashes her for a boundary and beautiful six over extra as the over goes for 13.
Over 47 — India 212/7
Keeper Richa Ghosh tries to reach some semblance of a decent total as she launches Fatima for six. The over ends with 9 off it.
Over 46 — India 203/7
Diana returns to get another wicket, India in sorts of trouble now at 203-7! Sharma knicks one through to Sidra, who grabs a regulation catch behind the stumps. Pakistan well and truly on top now!
Shree Charani is the next batter in, and she survives a scare after being given not out on review. Diana with a brilliant comeback after being expensive earlier in the innings. She ends with a wicket maiden.
Over 45 — India 203/6
Skipper Fatima strikes again as the players take yet another drinks break due to the humidity in the Sri Lankan capital. Rana got a boundary over mid-wicket but Fatima came back to send the Indian batter packing.
Over 44 — India 197/5
Rameen ends her spell with figures of 1-39; she has risen to the occasion when it mattered the most. She kept the Indian batters quiet and got the crucial wicket of Deol.
Over 43 — India 190/5
Sadia would have finished with yet another quiet over, building further pressure on the Indian lower order but substitute Shama’s misfield gives Sharma a boundary.
Over 42 — India 182/5
Rameen continues to flight the delivery as the Indian batters tentatively prod at her deliveries. She finishes the over well, giving away just three as India’s run rate hovers around four.
Over 41 — India 179/5
Rana finally breaks the shackles for India with a boundary off Sadia. She bowls an uncharacteristically bad delivery and gets hit to the fence as the over goes for seven.
Over 40 — India 172/5
Rameen had Rana there, but Pakistan didn’t appeal with conviction. Five off that over as Rana gets another life.
Over 39 — India 167/5
Over 38 — India 166/5
Fatima is back, and the ball is zipping off the surface as both Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma struggle to rotate strike.
Over 37 — India 164/5
Nashra returns after her breakthrough with another decent over, just four off it as India look to rebuild after losing half their side with 13 overs to go.
Over 36 — India 160/5
Rameen follows Nashra’s breakthrough with a tight over. Just one off it as the Indian batters try to figure out their next move.
Over 35 — India 159/5
Nashra strikes for Pakistan as Rodrigues departs! After an expensive start she has finally found her groove.
India are five down and Pakistan are well and truly in the ascendency at Colombo. If they can clean the Indian tail cheaply it’s game on!
Over 34 — India 154/4
Rameen returns to the attack and has the fourth breakthrough for the Green Shirts! Deol departs after the half-chances finally turn into a dismissal. She completely mistimes it and is caught at long-on by Nashra.
The players walk off as ground staff shows up with a fumigation machine for the bugs, we’ve been told that they’re a local variety — not exactly mosquitos.
Over 33 — India 151/3
Fatima continues to bowl well and builds the pressure on the Indian batters. Deol tries to walk down the pitch and is met with a bouncer.
Over 32 — India 147/3
The run rate in the last five overs has been exactly 6 for the Women in Blue. Nashra bowls a tidy one for six runs.
Over 31 — India 141/3
Captain Fatima is back into the attack as we cross the 30-over mark of the innings. She is greeted with a boundary by Deol thanks to a misfield by Sadaf near the ropes.
Over 30 — India 136/3
Nashra continues to struggle to find her length, as Rodrigues punishes a bad delivery to the boundary. India get six of that over.
Over 29 — India 130/3
Diana returns after delivering a what-if moment in her last over. She bowls another expensive one due to a misfield at third man that results in a boundary. The crowd has now built nicely in the stands open to the public.
Over 28 — India 122/3
The players take drinks in the middle of the 28th over as Nashra half-volley is driven through the covers by Rodrigues.
Here’s something you don’t see every day on a cricket field. We have our second stoppage in play due to mosquitos. Skipper Fatima has taken matters into her own hands by spraying the bugs off. It rained quite heavily (by Karachi standards) in Colombo yesterday. That might have a thing or two to do with the number of mosquitos we have on show today.
Over 27 — India 117/3
Diana had Rodrigues caught behind, but turns out it was a no-ball for overstepping. It only gets worse for the Gilgit-born pacer as her next ball — a 103kph head-high bouncer is hit through square-ish midwicket. An over that could have had India in all sorts of trouble turns ends with a boundary for the new Indian batter.
Over 26 — India 111/3
The Mumbai-born Jemimah Rodrigues is the new batter in for India after their skipper fell to Diana. She gets off the mark with a single off Nashra, who is continuing to flight the ball and keep it full to induce a false stroke.
25 OVER ANALYSIS
The Pakistani bowlers have done well to keep the Indian batters from scoring freely on a good pitch and make regular breakthroughs. The Green Shirts will now be looking to close out the second half of the match by building on the momentum of the first half. Both the Indian captain and vice captain are back in the hutch as both the Pakistani pacers and spinners continue to bowl well after a wayward start in the powerplay.
Over 25 — India 108/3
Pakistan’s in-form pacer Diana returns to the attack and sends the Indian skipper Kaur packing!
Kaur tickles on through to Sidra, who takes a regulation chance. Pakistan have India three down and and are well and truly in the match!
Over 24 — India 103/2
After being hit for two boundaries in her last over, Nashra returns with a better over. Just runs off that one that included a yorker from the left-arm spinner!
Over 23 — India 101/2
The Indian batters have no answer to Sadia’s spin mastery. Even as the runs flow from the other end, they continue to struggle against the wily left-arm spinner. The flood lights are on at the R. Pramedasa as the stands continue to fill up with fans, weather continues to stay overcast but no sign of rain yet. Here’s to not jinxing that!
Over 22 — India 100/2
Both Indian batters hit Nashra for boundaries as India break the shackles. Kaur signals her intent as she hits a boundary through mid-wicket in style.
Over 21 — India 89/2
Sadia continues to keep the Indian batters in check with her guile; no boundaries coming off this end at all as she bowls another cheap over for just 3 runs.
Over 20 — India 86/2
Deol finally breaks the shackles with a boundary off Nashra, India will be looking to get the momentum back after Pakistan restricted them to just singles and doubles over the past few overs.
Over 19 — India 78/2
Sadia continues to turn the screws as the Indian batters struggle to rotate strike and deal with her variations. Just a single off that over.
Over 18 — India 77/2
Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu is into the attack and starts off with a decent over as just two came of it.
Over 17 — India 75/2
Just three runs came off that Sadia over as the oohs and aahs continue in the middle, the Indian skipper was late on an arm-ball that nearly went through her defences.
Over 16 — India 72/2
Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is off the mark with a boundary off Rameen. Its a game of fine margins and that shot nearly carried to Aliya at cover.
15 OVER ANALYSIS
The match is evenly poised at the 15th over mark. Pakistan have struck twice to remove the Indian openers after putting the pressure on by building the dots since the latter half of the powerplay. India need to build a partnership as the batting conditions look really good. Pakistan will be looking to make further inroads to restrict India to a low total.
Over 15 — India 67/2
The second ranked T20I bowler in the world — Sadia strikes for the Green Shirts! She comes back after being hit to the boundary by opener Rawal to make a mess of her stumps.
Over 14 — India 63/1
Deol hits the first maximum of the Indian innings as she dances down the pitch and hits a flighted delivery over wide-long on. Rameen pulls the over back after that six of the first ball with 5 dots to follow up.
The game hangs in the balance as both sides try to shift the momentum to their side.
Over 13 — India 57/1
Sadia Iqbal is back into the attack after bowling the first over of the innings. She stiches together a decent over with older ball with just two runs coming off it. The Indian openers haven’t hit a boundary in a while.
Over 12 — India 55/1
Rameen follows up on her first over with a decent comeback, just one run coming off that over. She kept it tight as the dots continue to build up. Can we expect a shot in frustration from the Indian batters as they try to break the shackles?
Over 11 — India 54/1
Skipper Fatima continues with her fifth over on the trot and bowls a perfect maiden! The captain is leading from the front by bowling tight lines and lengths and keeping the Indian batters from scoring freely.
Deol survives a scare as the inside edge doesn’t carry to the keeper Sidra Nawaz.
Over 10 — India 54-1
Rameen Shamim is into the attack for Pakistan. She’s been given the new ball, which is not easy to control for a spinner. One drop Harleen Deol welcomes her with a boundary off the very first ball she faces.
Over 9 — India 48-1
Skipper Fatima makes the breakthrough for Pakistan! She sends the Indian vice-captain Mandhana packing with a ball that came in after pitching. Pakistan strike the first blow. The Indian opener walks back to the pavilion after a scratchy 23 of 32 balls.
Over 8 — India 45/0
Mandhana survives an lbw appeal as the review shows that the ball was pitching outside leg, she has finally found her touch after hitting Diana for two boundaries in the over.
Over 7 — India 36/0
There was a stoppage in play due to Fatima feeling a bit of discomfort in her ankle. She had been struck on the knee in the previous series against South Africa but it doesn’t seem anything serious. Fatima ends the over well, just runs off it as the Indian opener Mandhana struggles for runs.
The crowd is slowly building up at the R Pramedasa Stadium, with Indian fans outnumbering the Pakistani ones so far.
Over 6 — India 34/0
Diana follows up a good over by the skipper with a decent one of her own. Just one run came off that over as the Green Shirts put the brakes on a good Indian start in the earlier part of the powerplay. The Pakistani pacers have good their lengths now and are inducing false strokes from the Indian batters.
Over 5 — India 33/0
Skipper Fatima ends a good over to stem the flow of runs. India get just three off her over as the Pakistani pacers are finally finding their lines and lengths.
Over 4 — India 29/0
Diana returns with a better over to the Indian openers, beating them and inducing false strokes in the first five balls, but Mandhana ends it with a boundary to build further on India’s decent start.
Over 3 — India 25/0
Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana is into the attack, and is welcomed with a boundary by the Indian opener Rawal. India are off to a quick start as the pitch seems to be a true surface for batting.
Over 2 — India 20/0
Pakistan’s inform pacer from the first match, Diana Baig, starts off with an expensive over as Indian opener Pratika Rawal hits her for three back-to-back boundaries.
Over 1 — India 8/0
Sadia Iqbal has started the bowling effort for Pakistan. Weather conditions are overcast, and the new ball can move around in the air as a result. India end the over with their first boundary as the in-form Smriti Mandhana gets off the mark in style.
Pakistan have opted to bowl first, with Sadiq Iqbal opening for the Green Shirts as they face India in the cricket field yet again on Sunday, this time in the Women’s World Cup 2025.
While India is hosting this year’s tournament, Pakistan will play all their matches of the 50-over World Cup in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model[1] decided in November after India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
Fatima Sana is leading the Green Team, while Harmanpreet Kaur is captaining the Women in Blue. The game will begin at 2:30pm PKT at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
As of 2pm (Sri Lanka time), ESPNcricinfo[2] reported that the weather was “dry, although there are dark clouds hovering over the stadium”.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had said “fans have free entry to all” the World Cup matches being played in Colombo.
As the rivals meet for a fourth consecutive Sunday on the cricket field, tensions from the recent men’s Asia Cup may spill into the ongoing event as well.
Ahead of all the chatter on the issue of handshakes[3] in Asia Cup, Sana made it clear that her side’s focus was solely on cricket.
Earlier this week, a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official said there was “no assurance[4]” that India and Pakistan players would shake hands during their fixtures.
The semi-finals are scheduled for October 29 and 30, before the final takes place on November 2.
References
- ^ hybrid model (www.dawn.com)
- ^ ESPNcricinfo (www.espncricinfo.com)
- ^ handshakes (www.dawn.com)
- ^ no assurance (www.dawn.com)