LEEDS: Pakistan batter Aliya Riaz completed 1000 runs in women’s T20Is on Sunday during the third T20I against England at Headingley.
The right-handed batter became the fifth women’s player from Pakistan to achieve the milestone after Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan, Nida Dar and Muneeba Ali.
Aliya Riaz was Pakistan’s top-scorer with an unbeaten 35 off 27, hitting four boundaries in the third T20I. Pakistan suffered a 34-run defeat, resulting in a 3-0 whitewash.
Chasing 177, Pakistan women’s team was restricted to 142/4 in 20 overs, courtesy of economical bowling by England.
Pakistan openers Gull Feroza and Sidra Ameen started the pursuit cautiously, scoring 60 off 55 for the first wicket. Sophie Ecclestone ended Ameen’s anchoring knock of 26 runs from 29 deliveries.
Pakistan lost three more wickets in quick succession, slipping to 73-4 in 11.4 overs.
With 104 required off 50 balls, Pakistan captain Nida Dar and Riaz joined hands to complete the marathon chase.
However, England’s economic bowling did not allow them to meet the increasing required run rate.
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Dar and Riaz raised an unbeaten 69-run stand but failed to take the team across the finish line as Pakistan managed 142-4 in their allocated 20 overs.
Earlier, England chose to bat first and Danielle Wyatt cautiously started the innings with a one-sided partnership with Maia Bouchier (8) before Bouchier was run out in the sixth over with 36 runs on the board.
Wyatt was joined by Nat Sciver-Brunt, who scored a meagre eight runs in 10 balls and fell prey to Dar in the ninth over.
England’s skipper Heather Knight then joined a settled Wyatt on the crease. Wyatt switched gears and attacked Pakistan bowlers, while Knight played an anchor’s role.
Wyatt scored 47 runs during the 59-run stand for the third wicket, raising the team’s total to 118 before Diana Baig ended her entertaining knock.
She top-scored for England with 87 runs from 48 balls with the help of 13 boundaries, including one six.
Wicketkeeper Amy Jones then played a 26-run cameo off 15 balls to drag the team’s total to 162 amidst falling wickets from the other end. Jones was dismissed by Fatima Sana in the penultimate over.
Baig bowled the final over for Pakistan, taking two wickets, while Lauren Filer got run out on the last ball to finish England’s innings at 176.
Baig returned with figures of 3-26, while Dar claimed three wickets for 45 runs.
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