UAE win seventh place play-off after super over climax

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When the Netherlands faced UAE in the opening clash of the ICC Women's Twenty20 Qualifier 2018, a brisk 69 off 59 from Nisha Ali overshadowed Kalis's brilliant 68-ball 88*.

Sterre Kalis, the Netherlands opener, scored a scintillating 79 and lifted her side to a competitive 146/3 in the seventh place Playoff match at the VRA Cricket Ground in Amstelveen on Saturday, 14 July.

But this time, Nisha's innings wasn't enough to seal a straightaway win, however, her effort along with other UAE batters' contribution changed the course of the game and tied the match after posting 149/9.

It all came down to the Super over, where UAE just set a target of seven runs for the Netherlands. But Srinivasan, the UAE pacer, held her nerves and snared both the wickets and powered her side to victory in a dramatic fashion.

Earlier, chasing a competitive 146/3, the UAE got off to a shaky start as they lost their first wicket in the form of Esha Oza, who was run-out by Mariska Kornet for 13 in the third over. The onus was on Chaya Mughal and Nisha, whose half-century in the previous encounter with the Netherlands powered her side to a thrilling last-over victory.

Nisha seemed in an attacking form and she soon stitched a 70-run partnership for the second wicket with Mughal. However, Cher van Slobbe, the Netherlands pacer, broke their stand by taking the prized scalp of Nisha, who fell for 28-ball 37.

Shortly after, Kornet got engaged in another run-out and sent Mughal back for 32 in the next over. Udeni Dona (15 from 14) and Chamani Seneviratna (17 from 11) were the next in line to fall, as they both became victims of Lisa Klokgieters gritty bowling.

UAE's wickets kept on falling at an alarming rate and it all came down to the last over thriller, yet again. Heather Siegers claimed two in two, on the third and the fourth delivery, but five runs off a wide ball delivery and three more runs from the next two balls meant UAE had leveled the scores with the Netherlands.

Sent in to bat, Kalis, the Netherlands opener, hit the first ball of the match for a boundary. Along with Siegers, she helped her side get off to a steady start as both the openers posted 34 runs in the Powerplay without losing any wicket.

Their association of 52 runs was put to an end by Nisha Ali, who provided UAE their first breakthrough on the last ball of the eighth over. Siegers, the Netherlands captain, fell for a 21-ball 18 when she tried to slog the ball over deep midwicket fielder, but sent it straight into the hands of Ishni Mananelage.

Kalis, who brought up her first fifty of the tournament in the opening game against the same rivals, continued to bring up her second half-century from 42 balls.

She then notched up a 72-run stand for the second wicket with Denise Hannema, who remained unbeaten on a 27-ball 30, before Kalis was dismissed in the 18th over courtesy Judit Cleetus's behind the stump brilliance. The Netherlands opener's 65-ball innings featured eight boundaries.