Providence, Guyana —

Pakistan's batters gifted India 10 penalty runs by consistently running on the pitch as they succumbed to a seven-wicket defeat by their rivals in the Women's World Twenty20 on Sunday.

Underdogs Pakistan posted a challenging total of 133-7 in Guyana thanks to fifties from Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar, but twice were penalized five runs for running down the middle of the pitch, including on the final ball of their innings.

"Look, it's a silly mistake from us, we shouldn't do this kind of thing and we should learn from this," Dar admitted.

India have won two matches after also beating New Zealand in their opening match on Friday, while Pakistan have suffered two straight losses.

Mithali Raj, India's record run-scorer in T20 internationals, opened the batting and struck a 47-ball 56 as last year's World Cup runners-up made the most of their headstart to wrap up victory with an over to spare.

After a dominant performance against New Zealand in which captain Harmanpreet Kaur became the first Indian woman to score a T20I century, her side were sloppy and dropped five catches in the field.

"It will be playing on our minds that we shouldn't be doing the same mistakes in the coming matches because at some point it might cost us," admitted Raj.

India next face Ireland on Thursday, after Pakistan also take on the lowest-ranked team in the tournament on Tuesday.

India's new opening pair of Raj and Smrithi Mandhana went about the chase in a steady manner. Concentrating on timing and placement on a slowish wicket, and playing with a straighter blade as compared to Pakistan's methods at the start of their innings, the Indian openers batters slowly overhauled their opponents.

In the day’s second match, Alyssa Healy polished off more than half the target set by Ireland as her unbeaten half-century powered Australia to a thumping victory and the top of the table, ahead of India, based on a superior Net Run Rate. Healy, who had begun her women's World T20 campaign with a whirlwind 29-ball 48, followed it up with a 31-ball 56.

This batting effort came after the bowlers refused to offer even an inch of scoring space to Ireland, who succumbed to a paltry total of 93 in spite of having won the toss and opting to bat first.

Like in the India game where Pakistan were penalized 10 runs for running on the pitch, Ireland too were found guilty of it and relinquished a five-run advantage to their opponents. Australia began at 5/0 in chase of Ireland's 93 and cruised away thanks to Healy's superlative batting show. — Agencies