A proud moment for me and my family: Kranti after being named POTM against Pakistan

India’s 22-year-old fast-bowling prodigy Kranti Gaud is lighting up the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, delivering yet another match-winning performance to help India outclass arch-rivals Pakistan by 88 runs at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.

The right-arm quick produced a fiery spell, finishing with 3 for 20 in 10 overs, including three maidens, to dismantle Pakistan’s top order and seal India’s second consecutive win of the tournament.

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Gaud’s rapid rise has been the result of relentless effort and refinement of her craft, something she reflected on after being named Player of the Match.

“I’m really happy. Being the Player of the Match today is a very proud moment for me and my family. My India debut was in Sri Lanka, and today I’ve been named Player of the Match here in Sri Lanka again. I’m truly very happy,” she said.

While her express pace has drawn attention, Gaud revealed that her focus remains firmly on accuracy and consistency rather than sheer speed. “Right now, we haven’t spoken (with India’s coaches) much about my speed. The main focus has been on my line and length, making sure I’m bowling in the right areas. That’s what we talk about the most. Other than that, there hasn’t been much discussion about increasing my pace. The focus is just on maintaining that consistency, nothing extra,” she said.

“Still, I’d like to bowl faster going forward … (but) I’m comfortable with the pace I’m bowling at,” she added.

Earlier, India posted 247 in their 50 overs, setting up a strong platform for their bowlers. The Indian attack then executed their plans with precision, bundling Pakistan out for 159 in 43 overs.

“The batters were finding it a bit difficult to face us,” Gaud continued.

“They were struggling against the pace, and the ball was swinging both ways. That’s why we decided to continue with the same bowlers for a longer spell.

“When I came on for my second spell, Harman (India captain Harmanpreet Kaur) said, ‘it’s an old ball now, let’s remove the slip.’ But I told her, ‘no, let me bowl with the slip for now, I feel like I can get a wicket here.’ And that’s exactly what happened, I got the second wicket. I had that belief in myself,” she explained.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s standout performer Diana Baig, who returned impressive figures of 4 for 69 from 10 overs, admitted that the team’s batting collapse cost them the game.

“I think 250 was a good target when we started the chase,” she said post-game.

“But we lost too many wickets early on, which broke our momentum. When Natalia and Sidra were batting, we had settled down a bit, but once they got out, the innings became unstable again. We’re constantly trying if we can perform more consistently, both in practice and in matches, I’m sure we’ll start winning more games,” she added.

The result leaves Pakistan still searching for their first win of the tournament. They next face a stern challenge against Australia in Colombo on Wednesday, while India will look to extend their unbeaten run when they meet South Africa on Thursday, aiming to consolidate their place at the top of the table in their home World Cup.

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