New Delhi: India got off to a dream start to their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign by beating Pakistan by 64 runs in Birmingham. After posting 170/6, the Women in Blue bowled out their opponents for 106 runs, largely thanks to Deepti SharmaA brilliant five wickets Smriti MandhanaK68 and Richa Ghosh’s late blitz helped India recover from an early wobble, while the spin attack completely dominated the chase as Pakistan suffered defeat after a promising start.Shreyanka Patil, who played a key role with the ball, said the team was happy to start the tournament strongly but was aware of the tough tests ahead. “I have always enjoyed bowling in the powerplay, be it for my state team or for India. Bowling under pressure is amazing because that’s what I love to do, and it’s something I’ve done successfully in the past,” he told JioStar. Looking ahead, he added, “We know Australia and South Africa are also top teams. It’s the World Cup, and you never know; anything can happen.”The all-rounder also shed light on her difficult period away from the game due to injury, admitting that she battled negative thoughts and even contemplated quitting cricket. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t depressed or that I didn’t think about quitting cricket. That’s how I felt initially in the injury phase,” she said.However, Patil revealed that her love for the sport and her family’s support helped her overcome the difficult phase. “It doesn’t matter, I love playing this game. I’m just here because I love playing it,” he said.“I kept my head up, my dad kept talking to me, and my family really supported me.” Now back on the field, Patil said, “I love being back on the field now, and I’m not going to let that feeling go.”
