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NEW DELHI: India kicked off their ICC Women’s T2o World Cup campaign in style by
beating arch-rivals Pakistan by 7 wickets in Cape Town. The win was India’s 11th in 14 T20 meetings with their regional rivals. India batter Jemimah Rodrigues revealed that India’s victory was inspired by “extraordinary” superstar
Virat Kohli.
Rodrigues, who hit an unbeaten 53 off 38 deliveries to steer her side to a win, admitted that memories of Kohli’s blistering 82 not out off 53 balls in India’s four-wicket victory against Pakistan in the Men’s T20 World Cup last year had been inspirational.
“India v Pakistan matches are always a little bit more special — we spoke about it in the team meeting,” said the 22-year-old.
“Growing up we always watched these matches. I remember watching the match at the MCG where Virat Kohli played such an extraordinary knock.
“We did speak about it but we also just wanted to go out there and put our first win on the board. We just wanted to go out, play the same cricket and with the same intensity as usual.”
Rodrigues came into the World Cup on the back of a worrying run of form which had seen her hit just one score over 30 in her last 10 T20 international innings. But on Sunday she was the star of the show, ably supported by 19-year-old wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh who made 31 not out.
“This innings means a lot to me — I hadn’t been getting scores for a long time,” Rodrigues told a news conference.
“As a batter when you’re not getting scores, it’s definitely not an enjoyable time. I was working really hard in the nets, I knew I was ticking all the boxes, putting in the effort and going to the gym.
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T20 World Cup: Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh lead India to win over Pakistan
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<p>Jemimah Rodrigues and teenager Richa Ghosh took India to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan in their Women’s T20 World Cup match in Cape Town on Sunday.<br /></p>
<p>India chased down a 150-run target to record the highest successful chase and second of all time in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup.<br /></p>
<p>What had been a tense run chase turned into a comfortable win with an over to spare as Rodrigues and Ghosh put on an unbeaten 58 off 33 balls.<br /></p>
<p>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.<br /></p>
<p>Pakistan posted 149 for four after deciding to bat on a dry pitch. It was a total which looked unlikely when they were labouring at 68 for four in the 13th over.<br /></p>
<p>But captain Bismah Maroof (68 not out) and Ayesha Naseem (43 not out) transformed the innings in an unbeaten partnership of 81 off 47 balls.<br /></p>
<p>The left-handed Bismah Maroof faced 55 balls and hit seven fours while the 18-year-old Naseem hammered her runs off 25 balls, hitting two fours and two sixes.<br /></p>
<p>Naseem almost immediately went on the attack with some powerful hitting, including a six beyond long-off in an over from the medium-paced Renuka Singh which cost 18 runs.<br /></p>
<p>The Indian innings followed a similar pattern with Pakistan left-arm spinner Nashra Sadhu bowling superbly to take two for 15 in her four overs.<br /></p>
<p>Sadhu dismissed Shafali Verma, who was superbly 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.<br /></p>
<p>Three boundaries by Ghosh off successive balls from Aiman Anwer in the 18th over effectively settled the match.<br /></p>
“It was very tough but when it mattered the most, it came, so it was very special for me.”
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