DAMBULLA - Gull Feroza played a quick-fire knock, supported by Muneeba Ali to help Pakistan register a thumping nine-wicket win against Nepal in the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2024 here at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing a modest target of 109 runs, Pakistan gave a dominant performance and successfully achieved the total in 11.5 overs after losing only one wicket.Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali gave Pakistan a strong start, scoring 52 runs in the first six overs.They continued the onslaught and by the halfway mark, Pakistan had reached 92 runs, with a one-sided victory in sight.
Feroze struck two more boundaries in the next over to push her team further closer to the target. However, she could not finish the match as she got out with only five needed to win. She scored a 35-ball 57 with the help of ten boundaries.Muneeba Ali finished the match with a boundary, leading her side to a net run-rate-boosting victory after they lost to India in the first match. She scored 46 off 34 with eight boundaries.
Nepal bowlers had a bad day at work as they conceded a boundary in every over. Kabita Joshi picked the solitary wicket for them.Pakistan women’s captain Nida Dar invited Nepal to bat first earlier and her bowlers proved the decision right.Fatima Sana removed Samjhana Khadka in the first over, while Sadia Iqbal dismissed Kabita Kunwar and Indu Barma to reduce Nepal to 30-3 in five overs.
Sita Rana Magar and Sita Rana Magar had no answers to Pakistan’s tight bowling as they scored 10 runs in the next 4.2 over before the latter got run-out. Magar also got run-out in the 14th over after scoring a scratchy 26 off 30.Puja Mahato also played a cautious knock of 25 runs from 32 balls, while Kabita Joshi scored an unbeaten 31 off 23 with four boundaries and one six to push the team’s total to 108-6 in 20 overs.For Pakistan, Sadia Iqbal picked two wickets, while Fatima Sana bagged one.
Scores in Brief
PAKISTAN WOMEN 110-1 (Feroza 57, Muneeba 46*) beat NEPAL WOMEN 108-6 (Joshi 31*, Magar 26, Iqbal 2-19) by nine wickets.
