The Pakistani women cricketers put a blemish in the West Indies women team’s dominance when they secured a win over the host side Saturday night in the first of two Twenty/20 International match-ups at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
West Indies women (WI) watched on in a seemingly bewildered state as Pakistan batted themselves to a five-wicket win over the home side to secure only their second win on the away tour after winning a one-day match-up between the two sides earlier in the tour.
WI, who chose to bat first, seemed unable to get any momentum going their way as they were kept in check by the Pakistani women’s bowling attack and could only muster 115 for five off their allotted 20 overs.
Opener Stephanie Taylor led from the front for WI with a well compiled innings of 48 runs.
Taylor smashed three four’s before retiring hurt.
However, the constant probing by the Pakistan bowlers held the rest of the WI batswomen at a stand still as they found it difficult to find the boundary ropes during their innings.
Britney Cooper also contributed a valuable knock of 28 but took 41 balls to compile her runs as she only found the boundary once during her innings.
Pakistan’s Sadia Yousaf proved to be the pick of the team’s bowling attack and her constant change of pace and variations got the WI’s women off balance.
She ended with figures of three for 25 off four overs.
In reply, Pakistan looked on the brink of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory after losing their first four wickets for 32 runs.
A fifth-wicket partnership between middle order batswoman Bismah Maharoof and Javeria Wadood seemingly daunted the spirit of the WI females.
Maharoof and Wadood added 83 runs for the fifth wicket. In the process the two combined for five fours and the only six of the match-up which was firmly hit my Maharoof who scored 43 not out.Wadood contributed 37 runs before being stumped by wicketkeeper Merissa Aguilleira of the bowling of Shanel Daley who was the outstanding bowler for WI.
However, at that point the game was well in Pakistan’s hands as Maharoof stroked the ball through mid-wicket to pick up the winning run and start the celebrations for the Pakistani women who ended on 116 for five off 17.3 overs.
The gentle spin bowling of Daley troubled the Pakistan women throughout the match but was not enough for the win but she picked up figures of 3 for 17 off four overs.
Maharoof was named player of the game for her game winning innings at the presentation ceremony held immediately after the game.
