Colombo run-out dispute mars India-Pakistan match

India batter Muneeba Ali is held up near the boundary as her captain Fatima Sana clarifies her disputed run-out ruling with a match official

India maintained their 100% start to the Women’s World Cup with a comfortable 88-run win over rivals Pakistan in Colombo.

Perhaps the biggest talking point came from an incident early in Pakistan’s innings when opener Muneeba Ali was controversially run out.

The left-hander was struck on the pad by Goud and as the India bowler appealed unsuccessfully for lbw, Deepti Sharma collected the loose ball and threw at the stumps.

She hit but replays showed Muneeba had grounded her bat before the ball was even in the picture and a ‘not out’ decision from the third umpire Kerrin Klaaste went up on the big screen in the ground. However, before the game restarted, the decision was looked at again and it transpired that when the ball hit the stumps and dislodged the bails, Muneeba had lifted her bat and was still stood out of her crease.

Harleen Deol top-scored with 46 and Richa Ghosh smashed an unbeaten 35 from 20 balls late on to lift India up to 247 in an innings that saw numerous batters make starts but fail to kick on.

But India, led by Kranti Goud’s 3-20, stuck to their task to bowl Pakistan out for 159 in the 43rd over and move top of the group table. (BBC sport)