Pakistan seals win in vital clash
Pakistan completed a 67-run win over Bangladesh in a vital ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017 Group B match at the P Sara Oval in Colombo on Wednesday (February 8).
Choosing to bat on a hot morning, Pakistan put up 227 in 50 overs in its second match. The bowlers then waited for the opposition to make mistakes, as Bangladesh folded for 160 in 49.3 overs.
This match would count among her special ones for Sana Mir as she became only the sixth female player to complete the double of 100 wickets and 1000 runs.
Mir, who began the day with 98 ODI wickets, got her first when a sliding Ghulam Fatima caught Salma Khatun attempting to go over the bowler’s head in attack in the 36th over. She was denied her 100th in her next over when Rabiya Shah, the wicketkeeper, fumbled an easy catch. But in the 43rd, when Jahanara Alam was bowled trying to go for a big shot, Mir had her milestone and celebrated with folded hands and eyes turned skywards.
Fatima herself would be among the pick of the bowlers as she finished with 3 for 28 and a player of the match award in just her second ODI.
For Pakistan, Ayesha Zafar and Nahida Khan saw off the seaming new ball, displaying good timing and commendable footwork in guiding them to 50 in 11 overs. Khatun in slips let go of Bangladesh’s first real chance to deny Pakistan an opening stand of fifty, in Khadija-tul Kubra’s first over of the day.
Kubra, the offspinner, had to wait eight more overs to strike in the 19th, trapping Nahida (28) in front with one that turned. That opened the floodgates as Pakistan slipped from 76 for no loss to 78 for 3 in the space of three overs.
A loopy second delivery from Rumana Ahmed, the captain, sent back Zafar (34), before Kubra had Javeria Khan lbw. Javeria, however, was convinced she got a bit of bat to it.
But, Bangladesh, who began with promise, paid the price for flagging spirits, sloppy fielding and the frequent loose ball. It allowed Bismah Maroof and Nain Abidi to impose themselves in a 69-run stand for the fourth wicket, with only ambidextrous Shaila Sharmin spinner providing some excitement in bowling to the left-right pair.
A mix-up that saw Abidi (27) run out after hitting straight back to Alam could have unsettled Pakistan, but Rabiya Shah and Aliya Riaz used the sweep to good effect and scored at a healthy rate.
Bangladesh began its chase quietly, faced with a combination of pace – Aiman Anwer made her debut – and spin. But, having taken up several balls to settle down, it failed to build partnerships. Nor could it take advantage of Pakistan’s missteps – the keeping was loose and one Riaz over included five wides – as the match meandered to a finish.