Ind vs Pak: Looking back at cricket's biggest rivalry on Women's World Cup stage

Whether it is men’s cricket or women’s, India-Pakistan’s World Cup clashes are the ultimate grudge matches. On March 6, Mithali Raj-led India will lock horns with their rivals from across the border, led by Bismah Maroof, at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, in the 2022 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup.

India will enter the tournament after losing 1-4 to New Zealand in an ODI series. Pakistan, on the other hand, won two of the three matches they played in the 2021 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier, against much weaker opposition.

As Indian eves prepare to defend their unsullied record in 50-over World Cups against arch-rivals Pakistan, let's take a look at the previous games between the two teams in the Women's ODI World Cups.

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Ind vs Pak: ICC Women's World Cup 2009

Date: March 7, 2009

Match Result: India won by 10 wickets

Match Summary: Fielding first after winning the toss, Indian bowlers vindicated their captain Jhulan Goswami's decision. Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals and limped to 57 all out with only one batter managing to reach double digits.

Right-arm medium-fast bowler Rumeli Dhar was the star of this performance as she bagged amazing figures of 3/7, while Amita Sharma and spinner Priyanka Roy took two wickets apiece.

Indian batswomen knocked off the required runs without losing a wicket with openers Anagha Deshpande and Anjum Chopra ending unbeaten on 26 off 37 and 17 off 23 respectively.

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Ind vs Pak: ICC Women's World Cup 2013

Date: February 7, 2013

Match Result: India won by 6 wickets

Match Summary: Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. But their decision backfired as they lost Nahida Khan and Sidra Amin cheaply inside the first 11 overs.

Opener Nain Abidi and Nida Dar stitched an 80-run partnership for the fifth wicket to put Pakistan on course for a respectable total. The latter slammed an unbeaten 68 while Nain struck 58 as Pakistan posted 192/7 in their 50 overs.

With 193 runs to win, player-of-the-match Mithali Raj played a captain’s knock and scored an unbeaten century to take her team home with 24 balls to spare.

Ind vs Pak matches in Women's World Cups have produced the same result on all occasions - an Indian win

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Ind vs Pak: ICC Women's World Cup 2017

Date: July 2, 2017

Match Result: India Women won by 95 runs

Match Summary: After being sent in to bat by Sana Mir, Indian batters scored a meager-looking 169-9 in the allotted 50 overs. Opener Punam Raut top scored with 47 off 72 balls (5 fours) and wicketkeeper Sushma Verma played an important innings of 33 off 35 balls (3 fours and 1 six).

Punam Raut played a starring role in the last Ind vs Pak Women's World Cup match

Slow left-arm orthodox bowler Nashra Sandhu captured four wickets for 26 runs in 10 overs and received good support from her fellow left-arm spinner Sadia Yousuf who took two crucial wickets.

In reply, Pakistan could manage only 74 all out. Skipper Sana Mir and opener Nahida Khan were the only Pakistani batters to offer some resistance with sizeable contributions of 29 and 23 respectively. Ekta Bisht sliced through Pakistan's batting line-up with a 5-wicket haul and ensured that India's record against Pakistan in the World Cup stays intact.