News by “Sana Ullah“
Super Over heroics from Sadia Iqbal
Christchurch, December 18, 2023: Pakistan Women defeated New Zealand Women in a thrilling match in the third and final ODI in Christchurch on Monday. The match was tied, resulting in a Super Over, which Pakistan won by three runs.
This is only the second time that Pakistan Women have defeated New Zealand Women in an ODI. Their only previous victory came in November 2017 in Sharjah, where they won by five wickets thanks to a fine performance from Sana Mir’s four wickets and Bismah Maroof’s unbeaten 36 runs.
New Zealand won the series 2-1.
Recall that the hosts won the first ODI by 131 runs and the second ODI by one wicket.
In the third ODI, New Zealand Women won the toss and batted first, scoring 251 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 50 overs.
In reply, Pakistan Women scored 251 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 50 overs.
In the Super Over, Pakistan Women scored 11 runs without losing any wickets. Aliya Riaz scored eight runs with the help of a four, and Fatima Sana scored two runs.
New Zealand Women scored eight runs in the Super Over off Sadia Iqbal’s bowling, but both of their batters, Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine, were dismissed.
Earlier, the highlight of New Zealand Women’s innings was the fine batting from Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green.
Kerr scored 77 runs with the help of five fours. Green scored 65 runs off three fours and remained unbeaten.
Kerr and Green added 70 runs for the fourth wicket.
Captain Sophie Devine scored 29 runs with the help of four fours.
Pakistan Women’s bowlers Nashra Sandhu and Ghulam Fatima took two wickets each.
Pakistan Women’s suffered an early setback as Muneeba Ali was out for just five runs. Sidra Amin scored 24 runs with the help of five fours before being dismissed.
Bismah Maroof and Aliya Riaz added 101 runs for the third wicket. Riaz scored 44 runs with the help of four fours before being dismissed.
Bismah Maroof, the player of the match, scored her 20th half-century in ODIs. She scored 68 runs with the help of five fours before being dismissed.
Captain Fatima Sana scored 36 runs with the help of three fours before being dismissed when Pakistan Women needed 55 runs with five wickets in hand.
At this point, Natalia Pervez scored 26 runs with the help of a four and a six, and Najiha Alvi’s unbeaten 23 runs brought Pakistan Women close to victory.
Pakistan Women needed eight runs in the last over, and two runs off the last ball, but Alvi could only manage one run off the last ball, and the match was tied.
Pakistan Women’s cricket team also played a three-T20I series in New Zealand, which they won 2-1. This was the first time that Pakistan Women had won a T20I series on New Zealand soil.
