BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Sri Lanka beat Pakistan in a nail-biter at Warner Park to start their campaign in the Women’s World Twenty20 Championship on a winning note.
They posted a disappointing 108 all out off 19.3 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first and then remarkably restricted to the Pakistanis to 107 all out from their allotted overs, to scamper home by a single run.
Sri Lanka owed their exciting win to the discipline of their bowlers who dried up the scoring while taking wickets regularly.
Medium pacer Eshani Lokusuriya grabbed two for 30 while the other bowlers supported with miserly spells.
Sri Lanka were forced to survive an outstanding, attacking 42 from Bismah Maroof before they could claim victory, however.
The 18-year-old left-hander cracked four fours off just 41 balls and shared a 28-run seventh wicket stand off 23 balls with Javeria Wadood, to pull Pakistan around from a shaky position of 65 for six in the 14th over.
Her demise via the run out route paved the way for Sri Lanka to wrap up the innings and get their first points in Group B.