How Ekta Bisht’s dazzling opening spell turned a low-scoring match in India’s favour

When India were restricted to a seemingly paltry 169/9 at the end of 50 overs after choosing to bat on Sunday in Derby, Pakistan probably sniffed a chance of finally winning an One-Day International against their arch rivals. Their bowlers had put up a remarkably disciplined performance to stifle a high-flying Indian batting lineup that had scored 281 against England in their last match in Derby. Coincidentally, the same England slammed Pakistan for 377/7 in their match last Wednesday.

That Pakistan’s highest chase in the World Cup is a meagre 134 didn’t matter, nor did the fact that they were at the bottom of the points table. This team had scored 208 against a fierce South African bowling attack that bundled West Indies out for 48 on Sunday. Opener Ayesha Zafar was in good touch after an unbeaten fifty in the last match and her partner Nahida Khan had scored 79 against the Proteas. Even without the senior Bismah Maroof, they had the batting calibre to match their bowling firepower.

It could have been a straightforward chase for Pakistan. But for Ekta Bisht. Her record 5/18 skittled Pakistan for 74 and gave India a clinical 95-run win, their third on the trot.

Imperious with the new ball

The 31-year-old left arm spinner was given the new ball with Jhulan Goswami. A decision that raised questions; if the Pakistan pacers extracted such movement from the pitch, why not start with Mansi Joshi who had been included for this match? Why give the ball to Bisht who had gone wicketless when sharing the new ball in the last match at Derby?

But these questions started disappearing into the grey sky when Bisht struck on her fourth ball, trapping Zafar leg-before-wicket. It was a straight one but Zafar played for the turn and was rapped on the pads giving India first blood in the modest chase.

A couple of tight overs and a Goswami wicket later, Bisht dismissed Sidra Nawaz in almost identical fashion – a straight one that went for the stumps and found the pads. In her next over, she got Iram Javed LBW as well with a delivery that came in. Pakistan had no Decision Review System referrals left but India had got their fourth wicket. Ekta Bisht’s opening spell read 4-1-4-3 and had turned the match in India’s favour in under eight overs.

It was an ideal chapter in “How to defend low scores 101”. She came in, tossed up a couple of tight deliveries, piled on the pressure with dot balls, and induced the batters to go for shots. The batters, in an attempt to score, tried to play for turn on the straight ones and ended up losing their wickets. It was straight out of the spinner’s textbook, controlling the scoring rate.

How does she do it?

But there is a little more than textbook in Bisht’s innocous-looking action. She is a 31-year-old veteran who has almost 70 ODI wickets and has played in England before. For one, she had the new ball and was bowling in the Powerplay when it’s easier to attack the slower bowlers. For another, she wasn’t exactly racking up vicious turn to flummox batters.

She didn’t spin the ball too much but used neat angles to outfox batters. She didn’t get steady turn but used sharp flight to get her target. She was meticulous with her line and length, but mixed up her deliveries enough to not let the batters settle. Together with India’s spin troika of Deepti Sharma and Poonam Yadav, Bisht essentially spun the Pakistani batters in a classic case of scoreboard pressure – runs drying and wickets falling.

While receiving the player of the match award, she confirmed that the plan was to pile on dot balls and pressurise them early. She also added that she enjoyed bowling with the new ball – a decision that turned out to be match-winning as she accounted for half the opposition.

By the time she got her next wicket – Nashra Sundhu and Diana Baig off consecutive balls – Pakistan were already seven down and on verge of a defeat. But Bisht wasn’t done yet, she bowled a double wicket maiden in the 29th over to get her second fifer in ODIs. Incidentally, the first had also come against Pakistan in the Qualifier for the World Cup where India had dismissed them for 67 before completing a seven-wicket win. Then her overall figures read a stunning 5/8, now it was 5/18 – the best ever by an Indian at the World Cup. Figures of 10-2-18-5 while defending a measly 170 are worth its weight in gold.

This is the kind of individual performance that sustains successful campaigns at long tournaments. On a day when the batting – India’s strength in the first two games – wasn’t up to mark, it was up to the bowlers to deliver. And spin has traditionally been India’s bowling weapon, a fact highlighted by the number of full and part-time spinners in the squad. With the experienced Ekta Bisht taking responsibility in a crunch game, India ticked off another box in their impressive run at the World Cup so far.