The Indian Women's Team Triumphs Against Pakistani Side Amid Controversy, Bewilderment - and Flying Pest Infestation

Women's Cricket World Cup, Colombo

Indian Total 247 (50 overs): Deol 46 (65-ball innings); Diana Baig 4-69

Pakistani Total 159 (43-over innings): Sidra Amin 81 (106 deliveries); Goud 3-20

Team India secured victory by 88 runs

India maintained their flawless opening during the championship through a convincing eighty-eight run triumph versus traditional opponents Pakistan at Colombo.

Harleen Deol was the highest scorer making 46 runs as Richa Ghosh hammered an unbeaten 35 off 20 deliveries in the closing stages to propel the Indian score to 247 in an innings which witnessed numerous batters begin well without converting.

Seamer Diana Baig took four wickets for 69 while Pakistan dismissed the Indian team for the first time during women's limited overs match from the last ball of the batting effort but a first win continued to evade them.

After slipping to 26-3 in the run chase, Pakistan briefly rallied through Sidra Amin - who went on to make 81 from 105 balls after being dropped thrice - and Natalia Pervaiz together added 69 runs during their fourth-wicket stand.

Yet Team India, spearheaded by Goud's three for twenty, persisted with their plan to bowl out the Pakistani team for 159 in the 43rd over and climb to the top in the group standings.

As commonly occurs when these rivals face each other, however, there was far more to it, with controversy and confusion peppered throughout the day...

Perhaps the biggest talking point emerged from a situation in the beginning of the Pakistani batting as opening batter Muneeba was questionably run out.

The left-hander received impact on the pad off Goud's delivery and as the India bowler made an unsuccessful appeal for LBW, Sharma gathered the stray ball and launched at the bails.

She connected however video evidence revealed the batter had embedded the bat prior to the ball came into view and a 'safe' verdict from the third umpire Klaaste went up on the large screen at the stadium.

Nonetheless, ahead of the match continuing, the ruling was reviewed again and it emerged that when the ball struck the wickets and dislodged the bails, the batter had elevated her equipment and remained standing away from her ground.

Although the player had previously placed her equipment and wasn't attempting to steal a run, the third umpire changed her decision to 'out' and regardless of Pakistan's complaints, that witnessed captain Fatima Sana instruct her player not to leave the ground temporarily, Muneeba had to go.

In a further twist, had India simply reviewed the lbw decision, the whole controversy could have been prevented since ball-tracking indicated Muneeba was clearly out LBW.

30.1 Regarding being out of ground

Section 30.1.1 A player shall be deemed as out of their ground unless some part of the player or equipment is placed behind the popping crease at that end.

Section 30.1.2 Nevertheless, a player shall not be deemed as out of their ground if, in running or diving towards his/her ground and beyond, and after placing a portion of the player or equipment beyond the popping crease, there is subsequent loss of connection between the surface and any portion of their body or bat, or between equipment and player.

It ought to have been obvious that events would not become simple in this match from the very toss.

Amid a context of governmental disputes among the two nations, that skippers Sana and Harmanpreet avoided handshakes came as no surprise - particularly considering the previous instances in recent matches involving the male teams.

Nevertheless, none could have anticipated that the captain would declare mistakenly but gain the flip.

The Pakistani captain called out "tails" as Harmanpreet flicked the coin but match referee Shandre Fritz misheard and declared "heads called".

Presenter and former cricketer Mel Jones was conducting the flip and echoed Fritz's words, the coin fell heads up and it was announced that the Pakistani side gained the coin toss.

Neither captain questioned it thus Sana could step forward and confirm that Pakistan would field first.

A genuine error and given India won in any case, no damage caused.

In between {the toss confusion|the coin flip confusion|the toss