KARACHI - Pakistan women won the opening ODI against Bangladesh Women in Karachi by 20 runs to take the lead in the two-match series. Bismah Maroof scored 92 off 128 balls to propel Pakistan to 214 before the left-arm spinner Anam Amin collected 3 for 25 to restrict Bangladesh to 194 for 9.
Pakistan, after winning the toss, got off to a sluggish and found themselves struggling at 38 for 2. However, they recovered through a 61-run partnership for the third wicket between Nain Abidi (27 off 45) and Maroof. Two more quick wickets reduced Pakistan to 99 for 4, but Maroof kept the score ticking by anchoring the lower order and helped her team past the 200-run mark. Salma Khatun, Bangladesh's captain, was the pick of the bowlers, ending with 3 for 31 from her 10 overs.
The visitors began the chase cautiously, and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Rumana Ahmed was the only batsman to put up a resistance, scoring 70. She was involved in two crucial stands worth 44, for the fourth and eighth wickets, but they were in vain, as none of the other senior players stood up with a substantial knock. Besides Amin's scalps, Asmavia Iqbal, Sana Mir, Nida Dar, Aliya Riaz and Maroof claimed a wicket each.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN WOMEN:
Javeria Khan c Khadija b Fahima 21
Sidra Ameen c & b Salma 12
Bismah Maroof c Fahima b Lata 92
Nain Abidi c Lata b Khadija 27
Sana Mir c Rumana b Nahida 0
Aliya Riaz lbw b Salma 6
Nida Dar run out 21
Asmavia Iqbal c Nahida b Salma 13
Rabiya Shah not out 12
Diana Baig run out 0
Anam Amin run out 2
EXTRAS: (lb2, w5, nb1) 8
TOTAL: (all out; 49.5 overs) 214
FOW: 1-19, 2-38, 3-99, 4-99, 5-111, 6-140, 7-176, 8-208, 9-208, 10-214
BOWLING: Jahanara Alam 5-1-23-0, Lata Mondal-6.5-1-25-1, Nahida Akter 8-1-39-1, Salma Khatun 10-2-31-3, Khadija Tul Kubra 10-0-34-1, Fahima Khatun 7-0-42-1, Rumana Ahmed 2-0-14-0, Ritu Moni 1-0-4-0
BANGLADESH WOMEN:
Sharmin Akhter lbw b Anam 5
Shamima Sultana b Anam 24
Fargana Hoque c & b Asmavia 26
Lata Mondal c Javeria b Nida 16
Rumana Ahmed c Nida b Bismah 70
Salma Khatun c Aliya b Sana 3
Ritu Moni run out 7
Fahima Khatun b Aliya 2
Jahanara Alam c Diana b Anam 23
Nahida Akter not out 2
Khadija Tul Kubra not out 1
EXTRAS: (b 4, lb 1, w 10) 15
TOTAL: (9 wickets; 50 overs) 194
FOW: 1-25, 2-36, 3-60, 4-104, 5-125, 6-141, 7-146, 8-190, 9-192
BOWLING: Asmavia Iqbal 5-0-27-1, Diana Baig 4-0-18-0, Anam Amin 10-1-25-3, Sana Mir 10-1-40-1, Nida Dar 10-1-40-1, Aliya Riaz 8-1-29-1, Bismah Maroof 3-0-10-1
TOSS: Pakistan Women
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Bismah Maroof
UMPIRES: Asif Yaqoob and Zameer Haider
TV UMPIRE: Waleed Yaqub
MATCH REFEREE: Aziz-ur-Rehman