India Earns Win Over Pakistan Amidst Dispute, Uncertainty - and Insect Infestation

World Cup Tournament, Colombo

Team India 247 runs (50 overs): Deol 46 (65 balls); Baig 4-69

Pakistan 159 (43-over innings): Amin 81 (106 deliveries); Goud's 3 wickets for 20

India won by 88 runs

Team India preserved their 100% start to the Women's World Cup with a comfortable 88-run win against arch-rivals Pakistan in Colombo.

Deol registered the highest score making 46 runs as Richa Ghosh hammered an unbeaten 35 in 20-ball innings towards the end to lift India up to 247 runs throughout their knock that featured multiple players begin well but fail to kick on.

Seamer Diana Baig took 4/69 as the Pakistani attack bowled out Team India for the first time during women's limited overs match off the final delivery of the batting effort however a maiden victory continued to evade them.

After slipping to twenty-six for three during their pursuit, The Pakistani side temporarily recovered with Sidra Amin - who eventually compiled 81 in 105-ball innings after being dropped three times - along with Natalia Pervaiz added 69 runs for the fourth wicket.

However India, led by Goud's three for twenty, maintained their focus to bowl out the Pakistani team for 159 runs in the 43rd over and ascend to first position of the group table.

As commonly occurs when these rivals face each other, nevertheless, there developed considerably more to the contest, with controversy and confusion sprinkled during the day...

Perhaps the biggest talking point emerged from a situation during the early stages of Pakistan's innings when opener Muneeba was controversially dismissed via run out.

The left-hander received impact on the pad off Goud's delivery when the India bowler appealed without success for LBW, Deepti gathered the stray ball and aimed at the wickets.

She hit yet footage demonstrated Muneeba had placed her willow before the ball came into view and a 'not out' decision from the third umpire Kerrin Klaaste appeared on the large screen in the ground.

Nonetheless, prior to play resuming, the ruling was reviewed again and it became apparent that as the ball hit the stumps and dislodged the bails, Muneeba had lifted the bat and remained standing outside her crease.

Even though the hitter had already grounded her bat and was not trying to sneak a single, the third umpire changed her decision to 'dismissed' and despite Pakistan protests, which involved captain Fatima Sana tell her batter to stay at the pitch briefly, the batter had to exit.

With an additional complication, should India have referred the lbw decision, the whole controversy could have been prevented because ball-tracking showed Muneeba was plumb lbw.

30.1 When out of his/her ground

30.1.1 A player shall be deemed to be out of his/her ground except when some portion of their body or bat is grounded behind the line at that end.

Section 30.1.2 Nonetheless, a hitter shall not be regarded to be out of his/her ground if, in running or diving toward their ground and further, and having grounded a portion of their body or bat over the line, there is subsequent loss of connection between the surface and any portion of the player or equipment, or between the bat and person.

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

Amid a context of political tensions between the two countries, that skippers Sana and Harmanpreet avoided handshakes was expected - notably because of the previous instances in recent matches among the men's teams.

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

The Pakistan skipper called out "tails" while Harmanpreet tossed the currency but official Fritz misunderstood and stated "heads chosen".

Broadcaster and former Australia batter Mel Jones was overseeing the toss and repeated Fritz's words, the coin fell heads up and it was announced that Pakistan secured the toss.

No skipper challenged it therefore the captain managed to advance and verify that Pakistan would field first.

A genuine error and considering India's victory in any case, no negative impact.

Amidst {the toss confusion|the coin flip confusion|the toss