CHRISTCHURCH: Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz scored fifties after Nashra Sandhu bagged four wickets to assist Pakistan defeat New Zealand by four wickets in their first warm-up match of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022, here on Sunday.
Batting first the home side – New Zealand could only manage to score 229 in the first innings as Sandhu’s brilliance with the ball bowled out White Ferns for a paltry score in 45 overs.
The home side was off to a poor start; losing two wickets for a mere 11 as Diana Baig and Fatima Sana removed the openers Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine respectively.
Following the early horror, Amy Satterthwaite and Maddy Green batted brilliantly and partnered strongly for the third wicket. The pair appeared solid; both scoring half-centuries and putting on a magnificent 131-runs partnership Green made her way back to the pavilion.
The right-handed batter played a gritty knock of 58 runs and faced 69 deliveries, she also smashed six boundaries in the course of his sensational knock. Satterthwaite, on the other hand, stood firm and kept the scoreboard ticking while her side was losing wickets at the other end.
In the 34th over Satterthwaite also fell victim to the match-defining collapse and she walked back to the pavilion after scoring 80 off 85 balls; smashing seven boundaries.
The lower-order batter Jess Kerr then fought back for her time and scored a quick 34 off 27 balls down the order with the help of three boundaries.
For Pakistan, Sandhu bagged four wickets, while Sana and Ghulam Fatima claimed two each. Dar and Diana, on the other hand, struck out a batter each.
Set to chase 230, Pakistan chased down the total in the last over, thanks to the fifties of Dar and Diana. The pair put on a match-winning 89-runs partnership for the sixth wicket and made the run chase easier in the end.
Earlier, Pakistan too, had an unwanted start in the run chase as the side lost their first wicket with just four runs on the scoreboard. Sidra Ameen and Javeria Khan then recorded a 42-runs partnership for the second wicket before Sidra perished in the 15th over.
The right-handed batter scored a gritty 34 off 47 balls, laced with four boundaries. Her partner Javeria, who was a touch too slow in the proceedings also made her way back to the pavilion in the next over after managing to score just eight off 29 balls.
The skipper Bismah Maroof and Omaimah Sohail then put on a brief 47-runs partnership before Omaimah perished in the 27th over after scoring 31, while Bismah made her way back in the 34th over; scoring 28 runs.
Dar and Riaz then steered the side to the victory with their match-winning partnership. Dar scored a magnificent 54 off 59 balls; smashing four boundaries, while Riaz remained unbeaten and top-scored with her quick 62 off 52 balls with the help of eight boundaries.
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