March 21, 2022 0
Nida Dar and Muneeba Ali help Pakistan end an 18-match losing record in ODI World Cup qualifying matches. After Nida Dar’s career-best 4/10 prompted yet another West Indies collapse; Pakistan ended their 18-match losing streak in Women ODI World Cups; limiting them to a meager 89/7 in a rain-affected contest in Hamilton. After the game was reduced to a 20-overs-a-side contest due to persistent rain; left-arm spinner Anam Amin applied the pressure on a helpful track, and Dar ripped through the West Indies batting; who kept trying to hit their way out of trouble. With a total score of 8-1-16-4, Pakistan only needed 90 points to get their first points. The fact that the surface continued to give turn from ball one offered the West Indies encouragement in their modest 89-run defense. Muneeba Ali, on the other hand, got them rolling with back-to-back boundaries in the third over – a forceful slog sweep followed by a streaky four off an edge. Despite losing Sidra Ameen early in the chase, Pakistan was able to stay up with the asking rate with to the opener’s ability to find the gaps. Her top-scoring effort of 37 off 43 didn’t come without risk, but it provided the club with a good foundation. She was out in the 13th over after picking up a brace when West Indies bungled twice off the same delivery, first with a catch at cover and then with an unnecessary overthrow. With Pakistan needing 37 off 45 balls, Bismah Maroof and Omaima Sohail joined together and ran superbly between the wickets to finish with seven deliveries and eight wickets to spare, securing their first World Cup victory in 13 years. see ...