Pakistan Women achieve historic win at World Cup

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Tuesday, March 10, 2009
CANBERRA, Australia: Pakistan took a step closer towards the Super Six stage of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s World Cup after a historic 57-run victory over Sri Lanka, here at the Manuka Oval in the Australian capital on Monday in a Group B match.

This was the first time in women’s One-day International history that Pakistan had beaten Sri Lanka in 19 ODI matches and it was also Pakistan’s first ever win in a World Cup match. The first five such games were played in the World Cup event staged in India in December 1997.

Batting first, a solid opening partnership of 47 in 12.4 overs between Nain Abidi (26 off 51 balls with a four and a six) and Bismah Maroof (10) set the team on its way. Although some steady bowling from slow left-armer Suwini de Alwis (2-19) helped restrict the Pakistan total, some solid contributions from skipper Urooj Mumtaz (20), vice-captain Sana Mir (22 not out off 37 balls with one four), Sajida Shah (21) and Qanita Jalil (19 off 20 balls with a six) helped it to 161-7 off 50 overs.

The 28-year-old right-arm medium-fast Qanita Jalil (3-33) from Abbottabad then led a brilliant display by the Pakistani attack, grabbing three early wickets, as the Sri Lankan top order crumbled.

Some brave resistance from Sri Lankan skipper Shashikala Siriwardena (58 off 111 balls with five fours) followed, but only one other player, opener Dedunu Silva (13), made double figures as Sri Lanka was dismissed for 104 all out.

Medium-pacers Asmavia Iqbal (1-10 in six overs) and Sana Mir, with two wickets for 18 runs in 9.4 overs, were efficient. Off-spinner Javeria Khan had figures of 5-1-5-1 while off-break bowler Sajida Shah gave away a mere 12 runs in seven overs although she went wicketless.

Pakistan have now got themselves on the points table in their group. If Sri Lanka Women are beaten by India Women in their last group round match, Pakistan will have made the Super Six stage.

On Saturday, Pakistan had started with a 10-wicket defeat at the hands of India at the Bradman Oval in Bowral, after having been bowled out for a poor total of 57 runs. Pakistan next play against England Women at North Sydney Oval on Thursday.

Pakistan Women won toss

Pakistan Women

Nain Abidi lbw b Kaushalya 26

Bismah Maroof c & b Kaushalya 10

Sukhan Faiz run out (W H D Fernando) 10

Sajida Shah c W H D Fernando b Siriwardene 21

*Urooj Mumtaz c Kumarihami b de Alwis 20

Almas Akram lbw b de Alwis 1

Sana Mir not out 22

Qanita Jalil b Siriwardene 19

Asmavia Iqbal not out 8

Extras (b2, lb4, w18) 24

Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 161

Did not bat: †Batool Fatima, Javeria Khan

Fall: 1-47, 2-61, 3-64, 4-99, 5-103, 6-117, 7-147

Bowling: Weerakkody 5-0-19-0 (6w); Prabodhani 8-0-22-0 (4w); Kaushalya 8-0-28-2 (4w); Kumarihami 5-3-7-0; Siriwardene 9-0-44-2 (1w); de Alwis 10-2-19-2 (2w); W R P Fernando 5-0-16-0 (1w)

Sri Lanka Women

L D V V Silva c Sana Mir b Qanita 13

P R C S Kumarihami b Qanita 3

W H D Fernando lbw b Qanita 2

*H A S D Siriwardene run out (Javeria) 58

S P de Alwis run out (Qanita) 1

L E Kaushalya c Batool b Asmavia 0

†M A D D Surangika run out (Almas) 9

S I Galagedara c & b Sana Mir 0

S S Weerakkody c Bismah b Sana Mir 4

W R P Fernando c Sukhan b Javeria 0

K D U Prabodhani not out 1

Extras (lb1, w9, nb3) 13

Total (all out, 39.4 overs) 104

Fall: 1-5, 2-7, 3-28, 4-43, 5-47, 6-91, 7-94, 8-99, 9-100

Bowling: Qanita Jalil 8-0-33-3 (1nb, 4w); Almas Akram 4-0-25-0 (2nb, 2w); Asmavia Iqbal 6-0-10-1 (1w); Sajida Shah 7-0-12-0; Sana Mir 9.4-1-18-2; Javeria Khan 5-1-5-1 (2w)

Result: Pakistan Women won by 57 runs

Points: Pakistan Women 2, Sri Lanka Women 0

Player of the Match: Qanita Jalil

Women’s ODI debut: Sukhan Faiz (Pakistan Women)

Umpires: G A Abood and A R Craig. Match referee: D T Jukes (England)

Matches for Tuesday (today): Australia Women v South Africa Women (Group A), No 1 Sports Ground Newcastle. England Women v India Women (Group B), North Sydney Oval. New Zealand Women v West Indies Women (Group A), Bankstown Oval Sydney

Pakistan Women’s next match: Thursday (March 12) v England Women, North Sydney Oval

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