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It was a fascinating battle between two arch-rivals and we're not done yet. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will take center stage in another all-Asian battle in the second of this double-header at the Newlands in Cape Town. You can switch tabs to catch all the live action from that contest because that's all we have from this one. This has been Pratyush, in the company of my friend, Soorya. Thank you for joining our coverage. Buh bye!
It was an India vs Pakistan contest that lived up to its billing, didn't it? Pakistan will have a lot of positives to take from this game but India take the dub with them. Jemimah Rodrigues was the star of the show for her half-century, getting India over the line comfortably at the end of the day. As a result, India get their first points on the board, while Pakistan will have to wait a little bit longer to do the same.
Harmanpreet Kaur (India captain): It was a good game. Palistan played really well but at the end of the day we wanted to win this game. Richa and Jemi played really well. Very sensible batting form them. All the players are keen to do well for the team. Whoever is getting an opportunity is pushing themselves. Every match is important for us no matter who we are playing. It was a good game and the crowd was fantastic today. We'd love to have some time in the nets (in the next few days). The things that didn't go well, we have to work on them. We have to keep doing the right things in the nets also - that's very important.
Bismah Maroof (Pakistan captain): We were good and in the game all the time. We made some mistakes in the bowling unit. A lot of positives for us but hopefully, we do much better next game. In the roles that we have given, everyone did well in the batting unit. The role Ayesha played while batting was definitely crucial.
Jemimah Rodrigues is the Player of the Match for her outstanding half-century. Here's what she has to say: I actually don't know what to say. I knew we had to build partnerships and we had to take it deep. Richa and I shared a good partnership in the Asia Cup. We knew that we could chase any target. I had a good partnership with Shafali too. I think this innings means a lot to me since I haven't been scoring much off late. God has been great. My parents are here - I want to dedicate this to them. (Conversation with Richa Ghosh) We were just keeping over by over targets. We just needed 10 runs by over. If we were going over by over we needed just 9-10 runs an over. If we were there till the end we knew we would get it. It was a slower wicket. It was a little difficult but it was easier for the set batter to play. It was a team effort. We're very happy we won this. We're going to let this sink in. We've started it on a high and momentum is on our side. We just want to do the simple things right and consistently and follow the process. The result will take care of itself.
India clinch a thrilling game to start their tournament with a memorable win. It wasn't straightforward for most parts, but they've got there with an over to spare in the end. It was always going to be a tricky chase against Pakistan's spinners, especially in the absence of Smriti Mandhana. However, her partner-in-crime stood tall to fill in for her best friend's absence and take responsibility for the side.
It was a steady start from the two openers before Yastika Bhatia stumbled in the final over of the Powerplay to open the door for Pakistan. Rodrigues got a partnership together alongside Shafali to steady the ship for India. The opener looked on song but had to depart courtesy of a brilliant bit of fielding from Ameen.
With the game hanging in the balance at the halfway stage, Rodrigues hung in there in the middle alongside her captain, who came out with refreshing intent at the start of her innings. Pakistan kept chipping away though, with Nashra Sandhu dismissing Harmanpreet in the 14th over. The left-arm spinner ended with figures of 2/15, and perhaps didn't deserve to end up on the losing side.
Unfortunately for her and her side, there can be only one winner at the end of the day. With 41 needed off the last four overs, India needed their firepower to come to the party, and that they did. Rodrigues kept finding the to get 13 runs off Nida Dar's final over, before Ghosh came to the party to smack three consecutive boundaries to get 14 runs off the next over.
Two big overs were good enough for India to bring the equation in their favour and eventually got over the line with an over to spare. It was a sensational half-century from Jemimah Rodrigues, and this innings will mean a lot to her personally, with her parents watching from the stands as well. Stick around for the presentations as we unravel all the emotions.
Jemimah after all that poor run, steps up big time in a tense chase, what a knock holding one end & getting boundaries right time
Jemimah Rodrigues finishes things off in style! Fifty for India's number three to take her side home in a clinical run-chase. This is India's highest run chase in T20 World Cups.
18.6 Fatima Sana to Jemimah Rodrigues, FOUR! SEALED IN STYLE! Take a bow, Jemimah Rodrigues! Full length delivery on the off stump and Rodrigues makes room to lean into it and cream it on the up and into the gap between extra cover and mid-off. No stopping that one and Rodrigues is chuffed to bits. She's absolutely pumped and why not - she has stood tall with a brilliant innings when her team needed her to. It's also her half-century andIndia kickstart their campaign with a 7-wicket win!
18.5 Fatima Sana to Jemimah Rodrigues, FOUR! CLEVER AGAIN! Gem-imah has played a gem of a knock today! Dug short as it lobs up well outside the off stump. Rodrigues sweeps herself off her feet and upper cuts it up and over short third and thereafter, there is no stopping that one from reaching the fence. India need 3 to win now!
18.4 Fatima Sana to Richa Ghosh, goes wide of the crease and bangs a slower one into the surface on middle and off stump. Ghosh transfers weight onto the back foot and brings her bat down to jab it nonchalantly to deep square leg. Brings up the 50-run partnership between Ghosh and Rodrigues!
18.3 Fatima Sana to Jemimah Rodrigues, banged in short outside the off stump. Rodrigues stands tall and clubs it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket who fumbles, but Ghosh turns down the second
Sweeper cover, long-on, long-off and deep mid-wicket. Rodrigues has been playing that sweep well and she's played the field on that occasion. Under a run a ball now for India! This is their game to lose from here on.
18.2 Fatima Sana to Jemimah Rodrigues, FOUR! TERRIFIC SHOT! Good length delivery outside the off stump and Rodrigues hangs deep in her crease and sits low again to power it around the corner. Places it flat and square of short fine leg as it rockets to the fence and India are just 9 runs away now!
18.1 Fatima Sana to Richa Ghosh, nails the yorker as it tails into the stumps. Ghosh presents a straight bat through the line of it for a single as long on picks up to her left
Fatima Sana [3.0-0-27-0] is back into the attack
Richa Ghosh sits second on the list for best strike rates for batters (minimum 300 balls faced). She strikes at 143.72, only behind Ashleigh Gardner, who strikes at 144.98. She's doing the job for India again but it has to be said, that wasn't great bowling from Aiman.
18
overs
136/3score
1
4
4
4
0
1
runs
Richa Ghosh*
29(18)
Jemimah Rodrigues
40(34)
Aiman Anwer
0/33
17.6 Aiman Anwer to Richa Ghosh, slower yorker just around the off stump. Ghosh jams her bat down to squeeze it towards cover for a quick run. Huge over again for India!