Women's T20 World Cup 2023, India vs Pakistan: India Player Ratings as Jemimah and Richa hold their nerve under pressure to clinch memorable win
Team India commenced their campaign in the Women's T20 World Cup 2023 with a close win against arch-rivals Pakistan in Cape Town on Sunday, February 12.
The Women in Blue bowled first against Pakistan, who rode on the back of captain Bismah Maroof's excellent innings and Ayesha Naseem's fiery cameo. India then turned in a comprehensive batting display, with Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh putting together a 58-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Here are India's player ratings from their Women's T20 World Cup 2023 opener against Pakistan.
Women's T20 World Cup 2023: India hold their nerve under pressure to clinch morale-boosting win
Shafali Verma - 7/10
Shafali hit four fours during her 33-run knock before being dismissed by an excellent catch on the boundary. She was at the crease for almost 10 overs and offered India stability in the chase, while also bowling one over in the first innings.
Yastika Bhatia - 5/10
Yastika's slow 20-ball 17 wasn't out of the ordinary. The batter has consistently found it difficult to find boundaries in the powerplay and she's likely to be dropped from the side when Smriti Mandhana returns.
Jemimah Rodrigues - 9/10
Jemimah held the innings together after coming in at No. 3. She hit as many as eight fours while rotating strike superbly in her unbeaten fifty. The 53-run knock against Pakistan will give her some much-needed confidence ahead of the upcoming games in the Women's T20 World Cup 2023.
Harleen Deol - 4/10
Harleen, one of India's best fielders, palmed a catch over the boundary to help Pakistan add some more runs to the total. She wasn't required with the bat.
Harmanpreet Kaur - 4/10
Harmanpreet put on a 28-run partnership with Jemimah but fell just as her team needed her to hang in there and steer them over the line. Her captaincy decisions in the first innings weren't much to write home about, with the side even suffering an inexcusable over-rate penalty in the last two overs.
Deepti Sharma - 5.5/10
Deepti bowled an uncharacteristically expensive spell in the powerplay before failing to stem the flow of runs in the final over of the innings as well. She finished with figures of 1/39 in her four overs, with the wicket of Javeria Khan being her only notable contribution from the game.
Richa Ghosh - 8/10
Richa rode her luck at the start of her innings, but was unstoppable once she found her bearings. Capitalizing on all the poor deliveries, the young keeper-batter ensured India were ahead of the eight ball in the chase. She effected two catches and a stumping, but her glovework can still improve.
Pooja Vastrakar - 7/10
Vastrakar extracted some bounce from the Cape Town wicket, sending down an accurate bouncer to dismiss Pakistan star Nida Dar. She went for 30 runs in four promising overs.
Radha Yadav - 8.5/10
Radha was the pick of the Indian bowlers, mixing up arm balls and conventional deliveries with great effect. She scalped two wickets and conceded only 21 runs in her four overs, but dropped a sitter that would've sent back Naseem.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad - 4/10
Gayakwad was comfortably outbowled by her left-arm spin partner. She went wicketless in her four overs, which went for 31 and lacked bite. If the Women in Blue want to field an extra pacer for the next game, she might have to make way.
Renuka Singh Thakur - 5/10
Renuka's third over was rather expensive as she was hit for a four and a six. Her first two overs in the powerplay were rather uneventful as she didn't find much lateral movement.