Pakistan end series drought with win

NORTH SOUND, Antigua – Two dropped catches let Pakistan Women off the hook as they defeated West Indies Women by four wickets in the fourth One-Day International Thursday, to finally end their winless run in the five-match series.

Asked to chase a competitive 211 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium, Pakistan reached their target with eight balls to spare, with Omaima Sohail top-scoring with 61 off 89 deliveries and Sidra Ameen getting 41 off 87 balls.

However, both benefited from the hosts’ unfortunate generosity in the field.

Entering at number four, Sohail had scored only two when she was dropped by Haylew Matthews at slip off seamer Chinelle Henry in the 14th over.

The right-hander recovered to hit four fours in an 81-run, third wicket stand with Sidra Ameen who was dropped on 17 in the 17th over by debutant wicketkeeper Rashada Williams off off-spinner Anisa Mohammed in the 17th over.

Ameen, who had earlier added 32 for the first wicket with Muneeba Ali (19), struck a single four before she fell in the 29th over, becoming the second of fast bowler Shakera Selman’s two wickets.

Sohail posted a further 33 for the fourth wicket with Kainat Imtiaz (16) before Nida Dar entered at number six to hit a breezy unbeaten 29 off 34 balls with three fours to see the visitors home.

Earlier, left-hander Kyshona Knight struck a career-best 88 off 140 deliveries as West Indies recovered from 29 for two in the eighth over to reach 210 all out with two balls remaining in the innings.

Captain Stafanie Taylor gathered 49 off 77 balls but was the only other batter to pass 20 as Player-of-the-Match Fatima Sana (4-30) and left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu (4-49) undermined the innings.

Fatima accounted for both openers, Matthews trapped lbw for one in the second over and Deandra Dottin caught at extra cover for 19.

But Knight rallied the innings, striking eight fours and a six in a 142-run, third wicket partnership with Taylor who counted five fours.

Taylor’s demise, caught at the wicket sweeping at Nashra in the 40th over, sparked a dramatic collapse as the last eight wickets went down for only 39 runs. (CMC)

SCOREBOARD:

WEST INDIES WOMEN

H Matthews lbw b Fatima Sana 1

D Dottin c Diana Baig b Fatima Sana 19

K Knight lbw b Diana Baig 88

*S Taylor c wkp Muneeba Ali b Nashra Sandhu 49

B Cooper c wkp Muneeba Ali b Nashra Sandhu 0

C Nation b Nashra Sandhu 5

C Henry c Javeria Khan b Fatima Sana 9

+R Williams b Fatima Sana 14

A Mohammed c Javeria Khan b Nashra Sandhu 5

S Connell not out 2

S Selman run out 1

Extras (b4, lb1, w11, nb1) 17

TOTAL (all out, 49.4 overs) 210

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-29, 3-171, 4-171, 5-177, 6-181, 7-194, 8-206, 9-208, 10-210.

Bowling: Diana Baig 10-0-32-1 (w2), Fatima Sana 8-2-30-4 (w1, nb1), Nida Dar 9-1-48-0 (w1), Anam Amin 10-1-28-0 (w1), Nashra Sandhu 9.4-0-49-4 (w2), Omaima Sohail 3-0-18-0 (w1).

PAKISTAN WOMEN

+Muneeba Ali lbw b Matthews 19

Sidra Ameen c wkp Williams b Selman 41

*Javeria Khan b Selman 10

Omaima Sohail b Henry 61

Kainat Imtiaz b Matthews 16

Nida Dar not out 29

Ayesha Naseem c sub (Shabika Gajnabi) b Mohammed 14

Fatima Sana not out 2

Extras (b6, w12, nb1) 19

TOTAL (6 wkts, 48.3 overs) 211

Did not bat: Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Anam Amin

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-44, 3-125, 4-158, 5-175, 6-197.

Bowling: Connell 6-0-36-0 (w2), Selman 9.3-1-34-2 (w1, nb1), Matthews 10-0-46-2 (w2), Mohammed 10-0-30-1 (w2), Henry 10-1-42-1 (w2), Taylor 3-0-17-0 (w3).

Result: Pakistan Women won by four wickets.

Series: West Indies Women lead five-match series 3-1.

Player-of-the-Match: Fatima Sana.

Toss: Pakistan Women.

Umpires: Danesh Ramdhanie, Verdayne Smith.