CUTTACK: Hosts India finished their disappointing ICC Women’s World Cup campaign on a high with a six-wicket victory over Pakistan at the Barabati Stadium here on Thursday to become the seventh-ranked team in the world.

Watched by a lively crowd of over 6,000 spectators, skipper Mithali Raj’s hard-fought century secured India their victory. India lost the toss and were put into field first and despite having had a poor performance with the bat through the group stages, Pakistan, put on their best batting display of the tournament so far.

Nain Abidi and Nida Dar were the pick of the line-up scoring 58 (113 balls, five fours) and 68 (83 balls, seven fours) respectively, the pair added 80 for the third-wicket partnership before Nain departed off the bowling of the willowy Jhulan Goswami.

Niranjana Nagarajan proved to be the pick of the Indian bowlers, snaffling 3-35, including the key wickets of Bismah Maroof, Asmavia Iqbal and captain Sana Mir.

In response, India lost Punam Raut early on, when she was declared leg-before to Qanita Jalil, it was then up to Raj and Thirush Kamini to steady the India run-chase.

Raj held the innings together even as she lost Kamini with the score of 51.

Thereafter Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur added 49 for the fourth wicket. Despite losing Sulakshana Naik soon, Raj guided her side home in the company of Reema Malhotra (25). The pair added an unbeaten 87 for the fifth wicket with Raj scoring 103 in a 141-ball innings which included 13 boundaries and one six.

Pakistan captain Sana Mir was disappointed to end the tournament in bottom spot.

“It would have been good if we had finished on a high note. I am happy with the way batters showed up today. So far the bowlers have been the only positive for us, ” Sana lamented.

Sana said the side did not have too many positives to take away from the tournament, except the bowling.

“I did not have to motivate the side because we were playing India. We have not played a lot against India, so when the opportunity does come along we are always up for it. We are better than this. Under pressure we have not done well as a side. If our batters had performed better throughout we would have won more games.”

Sana was hopeful that the side has learnt a lot from the tournament despite not being able to win a single game.

“We last played Australia and New Zealand in the ICC Women's World Cup 2009 and then now. Also when you play for 50 overs against the top sides your fitness is tested. We need to work a lot on our fitness to last 50 overs. Overall fitness was the biggest difference between us and the other sides in the tournament,’’ she said.

Sana also thanked the host, Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) for all the hospitality.

“The way the people supported us was heart-warming. It was a tough tour, but we have enjoyed ourselves. The OCA, its academy, the support staff have all been really helpful and have gone out of the way to look after us,” she said.

Raj it was a bitter sweet moment, for a win coupled with her century came in the seventh place play-off.

“Well this win has not made us happy. We have such a good team. After the way we started against West Indies, we thought we stood a chance. But our sudden exit has left the girls very disappointed. The only motivation today was not to finish last. We pulled ourselves well as professional cricketers. The team did well today to bounce back in that sense,’’ she said.—Agencies