Dubai. With the magic of spin from leg spinner Amelia Kerr and off-spinner Eden Carson, the New Zealand women’s cricket team defeated Pakistan by 54 runs in a low-scoring Group A match here on Monday to reach the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Chasing New Zealand’s small target of 111 runs on a slow bowling-friendly pitch, Pakistan team collapsed for just 56 runs in 11.4 overs in front of the powerful balls of Amelia (three wickets for 14 runs) and Carson (two wickets for seven runs). It’s done. From Pakistan, only captain Fatima Sana (21) and opener Muniba Ali (15) could reach double digits. The team lost the last five wickets by adding only four runs.
With this victory, the New Zealand team reached the semi-finals by finishing second in Group A with six points from three wins in four matches. Australia’s team remained on top. With New Zealand’s victory, India and Pakistan’s dream of making it to the last four was also shattered.
Earlier, left-arm spinner Nasra Sandhu (three wickets for 18 runs) and off-spinner Omaima Sohail (one wicket for 14 runs) kept New Zealand’s batsmen under control in the middle overs, due to which the team could only score 110 runs for six wickets. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal (one wicket for 23 runs) and off-spinner Nida Dar (one wicket for 26 runs) also took one wicket each. However, Pakistan’s fielders disappointed and dropped eight catches.
For New Zealand, opening batsman Suzie Bates scored the highest 28 runs. Apart from her, only Brook Halliday (22) could touch the 20-run mark. Pakistan had a bad start while chasing the target and the team lost five wickets in the power play itself. The team lost the wicket of Aliya Riaz (0) in the second over itself, who was caught by captain Sophie Devine on Carson’s ball. In the very first over of Muniba’s innings, Rosemary Mair took a catch on her own ball, taking advantage of which she hit a four on Carson.
Muniba (15) also hit a four on Lia Tahuhu but was bowled on the next ball. Left arm spinner Fran Jonas bowled Sadaf Shamas (02) on her very first ball in the fifth over. Iram Javed (03) was also run out in the same over, leaving Pakistan’s score at 23 runs for four wickets. Mayer gave the fifth blow to Pakistan by bowling Sidra Amin (00). Pakistan scored 28 runs for five wickets in the power play. Fatima and Nida took over the innings after this. Fatima hit fours on Mayer while Nida hit fours on Amelia.
Pakistan’s half-century of runs was completed in the 10th over but while Amelia was trying to play a big shot in the same over, Nida (09) got stumped by wicketkeeper Isabella Gage. Carson then caught Omaima Sohail (02) on his own ball while Syed Arub Shah (00) was run out in the next over. Amelia gave the ninth blow to Pakistan by getting Fatima caught by Bates on the next ball and then gave victory to New Zealand by getting Sadia (0) also caught by Bates.
Earlier, Devine won the toss and decided to bat first, after which Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer (17) gave the team a cautious start by adding 39 runs in the power play. Bates opened the account with a four on the very second ball of Pakistan captain Fatima Sana and then hit a four in her next over as well. Plimmer also made the Pakistan captain’s ball see the boundary.
Bates was lucky on the score of 14 runs when wicketkeeper Muniba Ali took a difficult catch on Nida’s ball. Bates got another lease of life in Omaima’s next over when Nasra failed to catch him. However, Nasra compensated for his mistake and gave Pakistan its first success by getting Plimmer caught by Fatima. Omaima dropped the catch of Amelia Kerr on her own ball.
The team’s half-century of runs was completed in the ninth over but in the same over, Bates gave an easy catch to Nida on Nasra’s ball. Facing 29 balls, he hit three fours. Amelia (09) could not take advantage of the lease of life and was caught by Fatima on the ball of Oimaima, due to which New Zealand’s score became 58 runs for three wickets in the 12th over.
Halliday ended the boundary drought with two fours off leg spinner Syeda Arub Shah in the 15th over. After this, Divine was also given life by Sidra Amin on the ball of Nida at long on. Halliday also got a lease of life on Nasra’s bowling but she was stumped by Muniba in the same over of this left-arm spinner. Left arm spinner Sadia Iqbal got Divine (19) caught by Fatima. New Zealand’s century of runs was completed in the 19th over. Pakistan dropped three more catches in the last over.