(Photo ICC)
Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s opening 115-run stand set India up for a 95-run win over the Netherlands in the first T20I meeting between the teams.
The openers put on the second biggest partnership of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup so far, as India posted an imposing 209 for five.
The Netherlands were proactive in their chase but always well behind the required rate as Verma took three for 20 to dismiss the Dutch in the 18th over.
The Netherlands sensibly chose to field under overcast conditions, but the decision backfired as openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma soon found the boundary regularly.
Even without timing the ball well, Verma crunched three fours from Isabel van der Woning’s first over in an ominous sign of what was to come.
To make matters worse, the Netherlands struggled with wayward bowling as Myrthe van den Raad conceded six wides off her first over in World Cup cricket, while Van der Woning conceded five runs off a no-ball before her free hit delivery was a wide.
After reaching halfway at 96 without loss, Verma made her half-century from 34 balls, with Frederique Overdijk at full stretch unable to catch the right-hander on the delivery she reached fifty.
Verma’s luck run out as she departed for 55 from 38 balls with Heather Siegers (1/31) etching her name in the history books with the Netherlands’ first-ever T20I wicket against India as Iris Zwilling took a strong catch.
Even as her 115-run partnership ended, Mandhana was unperturbed, reaching her second half-century of the World Cup. This one coming from 36 balls, before crunching Silver Siegers for four fours in as many deliveries.
She was eventually dismissed for 74 from 47 as a floaty Caroline de Lange delivery saw the left-hander mistime her shot and Zwilling took the catch to leave India at 162 for two.
India then suffered a collapse of sorts, as they slipped to 168 for four at the beginning of the 17th over as Jemimah Rodrigues went for 19 before Yastika Bhatia’s departure for three left De Lange (2/32) on a hat-trick.
Harmanpreet Kaur negotiated the hat-trick ball safely but departed two balls from the end for 12, and there was time for a final flourish from Deepti Sharma as she struck Zwilling for a six and a four to see India post 209, their fourth highest T20I total.
The Netherlands came out with good intent as they faced a mammoth chase, with Heather Siegers opening the batting and getting her nation’s first boundary against India.
She was also the first to depart having made 21 from 16, as she was caught by Mandhana off the bowling of Nandni Sharma on World Cup debut.
India were then forced into an unexpected change with Shreyanka Patil departing the field with an apparent ankle injury, as Verma was required to bowl the rest of Patil’s over.
Deepti Sharma continued where she left off after five for 10 against Pakistan, dismissing Phebe Molkenboer for 15 to leave the Netherlands at 50 for two in the eighth over.
The Dutch reached the halfway stage of their chase needing an improbable 142 runs in 60 balls, but captain Babette de Leede continued to play positively.
On her home ground, Sterre Kalis made 18 from 13 before she was bowled by Verma and De Leede’s resolve ended on 28 as Nandni Sharma got her second as Richa Ghosh stumped her opposite wicketkeeper.
Robine Rijke fell two balls later for eight to see the Netherlands slip to 98 for five and they further crumbled to 114 for eight as Sree Charani picked up three wickets in an over en route to four for 19.
The final two wickets went to Verma as India completed a 95-run win to boost their chances of qualification.
DERCKSEN AND DE KLERK GET SOUTH AFRICA ON THE BOARD
South Africa withstood a brilliant all-round performance from Pakistan’s Fatima Sana to open their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup account with a two-wicket win at Edgbaston.
Batting first, the Pakistan skipper came to the crease with her side 33 for six and was later joined by Tuba Hassan, the pair adding 71 for the ninth wicket to help the team to 126 for nine from their 20 overs.
In reply, Annerie Dercksen (52) showed plenty of intent to ensure South Africa were always ahead of the required rate, even though Pakistan chipped away with regular wickets.
But Nadine de Klerk’s 37 brought the scores level and after Fatima dismissed her, a wide saw South Africa over the line.
Pakistan, ranked eighth in the world, won the toss but it was fifth-ranked South Africa who got off to the perfect start, Marizanne Kapp pinning Muneeba Ali leg before with the first ball of the game, after the original not out verdict was overturned on review.
The South African seamer had another five balls later, clattering Gull Feroza’s middle stump to leave Wahab Riaz’s side three for two.
Ayesha Zafar (9) managed to pull the Proteas’ second-leading T20I wicket-taker for four in the third over, but Kapp (3/23) had her third victim when she trapped her LBW the following delivery.
Natalia Pervaiz (4) dragged Ayabonga Khaka’s second ball onto her own stumps as Pakistan fell to 14 for four.
Rameen Shamim (6) was run out by Nadine de Klerk after a mix-up in the middle, and Iram Javed, one of two Pakistan changes from their loss to India, was the next to fall to a professional South African fielding display, run out by Kayla Reyneke for 11.
Aliya Riaz (10) tried to put some pressure on the bowlers but was caught at backward point by Sune Luus after advancing down the track to Shabnim Ismail (1/15), with Pakistan struggling at 45 for seven at the halfway point.
Nashra Sundhu (0) was the third to be run out, stranded at the non-striker’s end after attempting a single with her partner, Fatima Sana, on the floor after colliding with Kapp.
Resistance, though, came in the form of Fatima and Tuba Hassan.
Captain Fatima, the ICC’s seventh-ranked all-rounder, played a thrilling counter-attacking knock, striking 55 from 38 balls including back-to-back sixes off De Klerk to bring up her half-century in the final over.
Tuba (23) played her part before being run out at the death, as the pair compiled the highest ninth-wicket partnership in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history (71), with Pakistan finishing on 126 for nine.
Fatima was soon back in the action as South Africa began their reply, forcing Luus (5) to chop back onto her stumps in the second over.
Annerie Dercksen did not take long to get going, cutting Fatima to the fence later that over.
She then launched Rameen over deep midwicket and followed it with consecutive fours, with South Africa reaching 48 for one at the end of the powerplay.
Laura Wolvaardt (8), playing her 100th T20I, swept Sadia Iqbal to fine leg off Tuba (2/28), but it did not deter Dercksen.
She smashed Nashra for a massive six and then cut away for four to bring up a 32-ball half-century in the 10th over, with South Africa 75 for two.
But Kapp (10) was stumped by Muneeba later that over after a long umpire’s review, and Dercksen was bowled through her legs by a ripping Tuba leg-break for 52 as they fell to 76 for four in the 11th over.
Chloe Tryon (4) was caught behind off Sadia (2/26) in the 13th over, and Reyneke (2) chipped straight to Fatima off the same bowler two overs later, but De Klerk remained calm, surviving two dropped chances to take her side to the verge of victory.
It looked as though there may be a late twist when Sinalo Jafta (5) was bowled by Fatima (3/16) and De Klerk (37) was caught behind with the scores still level.
But a Fatima wide finished things off, South Africa winning by two wickets with 19 balls to spare.
Scores in brief
India v the Netherlands – Headingley, Leeds
India 209/5 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 74, Shafali Verma 55; Caroline de Lange 2/32, Heather Siegers 1/31)
The Netherlands 114 all out in 17.3 overs (Babette de Leede 28, Heather Siegers 21; Sree Charani 4/19, Shafali Verma 3/20)
Result: India win by 95 runs
Pakistan v South Africa – Edgbaston, Birmingham
Pakistan 126/9 in 20 overs (Fatima Sana 55 not out, Tuba Hassan 23; Marizanne Kapp 3/23, Shabnim Ismail 1/15)
South Africa 127/8 in 16.5 overs (Annerie Dercksen 52, Nadine de Klerk 37; Fatima Sana 3/16, Sadia Iqbal 2/26)
Result: South Africa win by two wickets
