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ICC Women’s World Cup
Agencies, Cuttack Spurred by a brilliant all-round show from Sarah Coyte, Australia thrashed Pakistan by 91 runs in their opening encounter of the Women World Cup, Group B, at the Bararbati stadium here today. The emphatic win for the five time World Champions and a strong title contender, was set up largely by Sarah.
The South Wales all-rounder made a valuable unbeaten 35 to guide Australia to 175 (46.1 overs) and grabbed three vital wickets to restrict the girls in green 84(33.2). Pakistan batswomen messed up a paltry target as only two of them crossed the double figure mark. Their openers, who failed big time in the two warm-up ties, continued their dissapointing run as skipper Sana Mir (2) and Nahida Khan(10) both departed cheaply.
Wicket-Keeper batsman Bismah Maroof showed some semblance of fight and tried to withstand the onslaught venom-spewing Aussie bowlers with 95-ball of 43, highest of the match. Ellyse Perry cut short Maroof’s fight to complete Pakistani’s humiliation. While Sarah was picked up the Aussie bowlers picking up three for 20, Ellyse Perry, Lisa Sthalekar and Holly Ferling bagged two wicket apiece conceding 18, 19 and 10 runs respectively. Earlier, a spell of three for thirty from Sadia Yousuf and some brilliant efforts in the field enabled Pakistan to restrict Australia to 175.
The Pakistani eves besides being incisive with the bowl, were bang on target when it came to hitting the stumps and affected four run outs, breaking the back of the Kangaroos. Opting to bat first, the Aussie commenced their innings on a negative note losing two wickets for 39. Rachel in company of Alex Blackwell arrested the slide and took the team to 83 before the later was trumped in front of the stumps by Asmavia Iqbal.
Rachel looking good at 39(74b, 3x4s) departed two over later when she fell short of her crease, triggering another collapse. Continuing her good form from the warm-up matches, Lisa Sthalekar led the act of rebuilding, forging a 45-run stand for the seventh wicket with Sarah Coyte. Sadia then got into the act ended the duo’s flourishing association by breaching the defence of by Sthalekar(32). She later claimed Ellyse Perry and debutant Reenee Chappell to polish of the Aussie tail. Sarah, however remained unbeaten at 36 from 64 balls and her knock was studded with five hits to the fence. Asmavia Iqbal was another effective bolwer for Pakistan and ended with a figure of 2 for 37.
