India Earns Win Against Pakistan Amidst Dispute, Uncertainty - plus Bug Invasion

Women's Cricket World Cup, Sri Lankan Capital

India 247 (Complete innings): Harleen Deol 46 (65 balls); Diana Baig 4-69

Pakistan 159 (Forty-three overs): Amin's 81 runs (106-ball knock); Goud 3-20

Team India secured victory by 88 runs

Team India preserved their perfect beginning to the Women's World Cup with a comfortable eighty-eight run triumph against arch-rivals Pakistan at Colombo.

Harleen Deol was the highest scorer scoring 46 while Richa Ghosh blasted an unbeaten 35 from 20 balls late on to propel the Indian score to 247 runs in an innings that saw several hitters make starts but not continuing.

Bowler Diana Baig secured 4/69 as Pakistan bowled India out premierly in women's one-day international with the ultimate ball of the batting effort however a maiden victory remained beyond their reach.

After slipping to twenty-six for three in the run chase, The Pakistani side temporarily recovered as Sidra Amin - who eventually compiled 81 off 105 deliveries after receiving chances on three occasions - along with Natalia Pervaiz compiled 69 during their fourth-wicket stand.

However India, guided by Kranti Goud's 3-20, maintained their focus to dismiss Pakistan scoring 159 in the 43rd over and move top of the group table.

As commonly occurs when India and Pakistan meet, however, there was far more to the contest, with controversy and confusion sprinkled during the match...

Possibly the major discussion point came from a situation early in Pakistan's innings when opener Muneeba Ali was questionably run out.

The left-hander got hit on the protective padding off Goud's delivery and as the bowler from India appealed unsuccessfully for LBW, Sharma gathered the stray ball and launched at the bails.

She struck yet footage demonstrated Muneeba had placed her willow ahead of the ball came into view and a 'safe' verdict by the TV umpire Klaaste appeared on the large screen in the ground.

Nonetheless, ahead of the match continuing, the ruling was reviewed again and it transpired that when the ball made contact with the stumps and knocked off the bails, Muneeba had lifted the bat and was positioned outside her crease.

Even though the hitter had already grounded the bat and was not trying to steal a run, the match referee changed her decision to 'given out' and notwithstanding Pakistani objections, which saw leader Fatima Sana tell her batter to remain on the pitch for a short time, Muneeba had to go.

In a further twist, should India have referred the LBW appeal, the complete debate might have been averted because ball-tracking showed the batter was undoubtedly leg before.

30.1 Concerning leaving the crease

30.1.1 A hitter shall be regarded to be out of his/her ground unless some part of his/her person or bat is grounded behind the batting crease at that wicket.

Section 30.1.2 Nevertheless, a hitter shall not be regarded to be out of his/her ground if, in running or diving to their crease and beyond, and after placing a portion of his/her person or bat past the batting crease, there is subsequent loss of touch between the field and any element of the player or equipment, or between equipment and player.

It should have been clear that matters would not prove simple in this match right from the toss.

Amid a context of governmental disputes between the two countries, that captains Sana and Harmanpreet Kaur avoided handshakes was expected - especially given the established pattern in previous encounters among the men's teams.

Nevertheless, none could have anticipated that Sana would announce wrongly yet win the toss.

The Pakistani captain shouted "tails" as the Indian captain spun the currency but official Fritz misunderstood and declared "heads called".

Presenter and former cricketer Mel Jones was conducting the toss and reiterated Fritz's words, heads appeared and there was declaration that Pakistan had won the flip.

No skipper challenged it therefore the captain managed to advance and verify that the Pakistani side would chase.

An innocent mistake and given India won anyway, no damage caused.

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