Pakistan registered a stunning 31-run win over Asian champions Sri Lanka in their opening game of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 on Thursday. The star all-rounder Fatima Sana led by example to help her team defend 116 runs at Sharjah Cricket Stadium and earn two big and crucial points.
With title favourites Australia, India and New Zealand also featuring in the same Group A, both Sri Lanka and Pakistan targeted crucial points in their campaign opener. Pakistani batters struggled early but Fatima scored 30 runs to help them post a challenging total while batting first.
Fatima then dismissed the star batter and Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu early to help Pakistan defend a low-scoring total. The experienced spinner Sadia Iqbal took three wickets and Fatima, Omaima Sohail and Nashra Sandhu claimed two each to power Pakistan to an impressive win.
After deciding to bat first, Pakistan lost their top-order batters inside powerplay overs. The experienced left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari dismissed both openers Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza cheaply and then Chamari dismissed Sidra Amin on the last ball of the powerplay over to keep Sri Lanka in a comfortable position.
Pakistani batters struggled to find any momentum against Sri Lanka's impressive spin attack but made a late comeback with Fatima top-scoring with 30 runs off 20 balls and the veteran Nida Dar adding crucial 23 runs. Chamari, Sugandika and Udeshika picked three wickets each for Sri Lanka to bowl out their opponents to just 116 in 20 overs.
Defending a low-score total, Pakistan lost their premier pacer Diana Baig to an ankle injury in the very first over. But that didn't affect their confidence as Pakistan were quick to balance the game with Fatima taking an early wicket of Chamari Athapaththu.
Sri Lanka never threatened to show any sign of fighting back as Pakistan bowlers proved too strong with regular wickets. Sadia Iqbal took three wickets while Fatima Sana, Omaima Sohail and Nashra Sandhu claimed two each to restrict the Asian champions to 85 for 9 in 20 overs. Sana was awarded with the Player of the Match award for her brilliant work with both the bat and ball.
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Nilakshi de Silva, Hasini Perera, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Sachini Nisansala, Udeshika Prabodhani.
Pakistan Playing XI: Muneeba Ali (wk), Gull Feroza, Sidra Amin, Nida Dar, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana (c), Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sandhu, Diana Baig, Sadia Iqbal, Omaima Sohail.
