The Gaby Lewis-led Ireland fought hard, but unfortunately wasn’t good enough for them to get over the line as Bangladesh clinched the game by 2 wickets and 8 balls to spare in the match no. 7 of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2025. The hosts Pakistan led by skipper Fatima Sana were up against the West Indies led by skipper Hayley Matthews in the 8th match of the tournament, at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.
Sidra Amin’s fifty anchors Pakistan to a fighting total on the board
Opening batter Gull Feroza’s horrible run continued as she was dismissed by the opposition skipper Hayley Matthews in the 4th over of the innings, providing the first breakthrough after the home skipper Fatima Sana won the toss and opted to bat first.
Sidra Amin joined Muneeba Ali at the crease and the duo led the recovery with a much-needed 47-run partnership for the 2nd wicket. Afy Fletcher broke the stand, sending Muneeba Ali (33 off 60 balls) back to the pavilion, providing the 2nd breakthrough for her side in the 17th over of the innings.
Decent partnerships throughout the innings, a 44-run stand between Sidra Amin and Aliya Riaz (20 off 35 balls), followed by another vital 35-run partnership for the 4th wicket between Omiama Sohail (16 off 27 balls) and Sidra Amin, played a crucial role in providing some sort of substance to the total, as they closed in around the 200-run mark, folded for 191 with one ball to spare.
Sidra Amin completed a gritty half-century (54 off 94 balls), wicket-keeper batter Sidra Nawaz (23 off 28 balls), and skipper Fatima Sana (15 off 24 balls) chipped in with a crucial contribution with the bat for the home side, Pakistan. Skipper Hayley Matthews (10-0-30-2) yet again led from the front with the ball. Afy Fletcher (10-1-39-2), and Karishma Ramharack (9.5-0-55-2) also picked up a couple of wickets each with the ball, while Ashmini Munisar (10-0-29-1) was impressive with the ball for the West Indies.
Fatima Sana and spinners bowl Pakistan to a hat-trick of victories
Chasing a target of 192, West Indies batters failed to get used to the tricky conditions on offer, a slowish track, where shot-making wasn’t easy. The innings never really got momentum in the run chase, after they lost their skipper Hayley Matthews for a golden duck, in the first ball of the run chase. Skipper Fatima Sana provided the first breakthrough for her side.
The Women in Maroon were eventually bundled out for 126, falling 65 runs short of the target with over 10 overs to spare. The 33-run 6th wicket partnership between Shabika Gajnabi and Stafanie Taylor was the highest partnership of the run chase for the West Indies.
Aaliyah Alleyne (22 off 52 balls), Shabika Gajnabi (21 off 40 balls), Jannillea Glasgow (18 off 25 balls), and Stafanie Taylor (17 off 26 balls) chipped in with crucial contributions, but eventually, it wasn’t enough for their side, to get those crucial two points, succumbing to their 2nd defeat of the tournament.
Skipper Fatima Sana (7-0-16-3) was exceptional with the ball, leading from the front, while Rameen Shamim (8.2-1-26-2), and Nashra Sandhu (10-0-31-2) picked up a couple of wickets each. Diana Baig (6-1-20-0) was impressive with the ball for Pakistan.
Sidra Amin was awarded the Player of the Match for her impressive innings with the bat, playing a crucial role as Pakistan clinched a hat-trick of victories.
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