CAPE TOWN: Jemimah Rodrigues praised teenager Richa Ghosh after the pair took India to a seven-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the Women’s T20 World Cup at Newlands on Sunday.
What had been a tense run chase turned into a comfortable win with an over to spare as Rodrigues and Ghosh, 19, put on an unbeaten 58 off 33 balls after India had been set to make 150 to win.
Rodrigues batted with calm skill to make 53 not out off 38 balls while Ghosh, 19, hit powerfully to score 31 not out off 20 balls.
“I love batting with Richa,” Rodrigues told journalists. “We batted together when she played very well in a warm-up game against Bangladesh and that gave her a lot of confidence.”
Favourites India needed almost ten runs an over when Ghosh joined Rodrigues in the 14th over but the pair were seldom troubled.
“We knew we had to bat sensibly and bat until the end. If we did that the loose balls would come,” said Rodrigues, who said the presence of her father and childhood coach Ivan had inspired her to perform well.
It was a bitter-sweet day for Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof, who made a stylish 68 not out and shared a free-scoring unbeaten partnership of 81 off 47 balls with 18-year-old Ayesha Naseem, who struck 43 not out off 25 balls.
It enabled Pakistan to post a competitive 149 for four after deciding to bat on a dry pitch.
“We made some mistakes as a bowling unit,” said Maroof, who said she was pleased with Pakistan’s batting.
Pakistan left-arm spinner Nashra Sadhu bowled superbly to take two for 15 in her four overs to put India under pressure.
Sadhu dismissed Shafali Verma, who was caught on the boundary by Sidra Ameen, and Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, leaving India needing to score at almost 10 runs an over in the last six overs.
But Pakistan paid the price for only picking five bowlers and the remaining bowlers were expensive, while their fielders were guilty of several misfields.
Brief scores: Pakistan 149-4 in 20 overs (Bismah Maroof 68 not out, Ayesha Naseem 43 not out; R. Yadav 2-21) v India 151-3 in 19 overs (J. Rodrigues 53 not out, S. Verma 33, R. Ghosh 31 not out; Nashra Sadhu 2-15)
