As statements go, India's opening T20 World Cup victory over Pakistan had a lot to say. Not so much about the 64-run margin or the hyped-up rivalry between two mismatched cricket teams, but about three intricate storylines within.
A foundational half-century by Smriti Mandhana, who found runs at the most opportune time, was followed by Richa Ghosh proving that her return to form could translate from a warm-up to the big time, and another world-class display by allrounder Deepti Sharma, which started with a key partnership alongside Ghosh and ended with a career-best haul propelling her to the top of the all-time T20I wicket-takers' chart.
After a frenetic start in which Shafali Verma smashed the very first ball, from Sadia Iqbal, over long-off for six then was caught behind four balls later and Jemimah Rodrigues fell cheaply to Natalia Pervaiz's juggle at extra cover, Mandhana restored control to India from the perilous position of 18 for 2 in the fourth over.
Expertly picking a gap wide of short fine leg then punishing a short ball behind square for back-to-back fours of Rameen Shamim, Mandhana exerted the authority India so desperately needed at the time, paving the way for a third-wicket stand of 91 off 64 balls with her captain, Harmanpreet Kaur.
Harmanpreet had been in decent touch, scoring an unbeaten half-century in a losing cause as England sealed their T20I series 2-1 in Taunton earlier this month. But Mandhana was due a big innings.
She had scored just 40 runs across three T20I innings against England, striking at 114.28. She made 39 in the warm-up against West Indies but just 1 in a five-run defeat to England in their final hit-out before the tournament. On Sunday at a packed Edgbaston, she top-scored for India with a 44-ball 68 that came at a strike rate of 154.54.
It could have been over on 27, had Aliya Riaz not shelled a chance at mid-off. The next ball she faced after that, from Tasmia Rubab, went for a thunderous six over long-off as Mandhana proceeded to reel off 26 runs in the space of 11 balls.
She raised her fifty off 34 deliveries with the first of back-to-back fours off Shamim and could seemingly do no wrong, lofting a Sadia delivery tossed up on off stump to deep midwicket where it sailed through the hands of Saira Jabeen and went for six.
It fell to Pakistan captain Fatima Sana to finally prise out Mandhana with a superbly judged catch just inside the boundary at long-on from the bowling of Shamim, but her boundary-laden innings had set the stage for India's highest score in a T20 World Cup match against Pakistan.
Deepti shared a 45-run stand with Ghosh, in whom Harmanpreet had expressed faith on the eve of the match after breaking a "rough phase" with 68 in the warm-up game against England. Ghosh struck at 200.00 in reaching 34 off 17 balls to give the innings added impetus and when it came to Pakistan's reply, Deepti did the rest.
Deepti's run out of Muneeba Ali, her 41 Pakistan's only contribution of note with the bat, sparked a terminal collapse of 5 for 26. Deepti had already accounted for Muneeba's fellow opener, Gul Feroza, as well as Pakistan No. 3, Ayesha Zafar, and she cleaned up the last three wickets to fall in the space of five balls to finish with staggering figures of 5 for 10 from four overs. She now has 166 all told from her 145 appearances.
After the match, Deepti spoke enthusiastically about the importance of the union between her captain and Mandhana, as well as Ghosh's contribution.
"Unbelievable batting by Smriti and especially that partnership, Smriti and Harmanpreet, they batted really well," Deepti said. "From there we got the momentum because initially we lost early wickets. We always think about how we have a good batting line-up so that we contribute and how they batted, it's commendable.
"Sometimes the start is good, sometimes the middle overs are very good, but it is equally important how you finish. If you have a 30, 40 or 50-run partnership in the last five to six overs it helps a lot; it sets you up to reach a good total. Well batted to Richa because of the way she was striking every ball no matter which bowler was coming up against her."
Deepti had scored 56 from three innings against England and taken only one wicket but said she had changed nothing since, instead relying on her "self-belief" to step up. She had plenty of reason to believe, as Player of the Tournament in India's triumphant run to the 50-over world title last year.
"I think I like the pressure conditions and ICC tournaments; I feel I have started again from where I had finished, so it feels good," she said.
"Since the wicket was slightly turning I was hitting my good balls and landing them well, and it was just about bowling back-to-back in the good areas," she added. "On today's pitch, speed was very crucial, so I was varying it in every over, and that helped me."
Pakistan have only beaten India three times in 17 T20I matches, the last time during the 2022 Asia Cup, which adds some context to the result. India's next match, against tournament debutants Netherlands on Wednesday, is another one they should win and they have a slightly inferior net run rate to Australia, who lead the Group 1 table. Pakistan, meanwhile, play the same day, against South Africa, who lost heavily to Australia in their opening match.