by: Atika Mehboob TN Sport Pakistan:
In the recent ODI series against New Zealand, although Pakistan couldn’t clinch the series, they managed to avoid a whitewash in a dramatic manner. In the decisive third ODI, the Pakistan women displayed an exhilarating performance to force a tie, leading to a super over.
New Zealand batted first and set a target of 252 for the tourists, with strong performances from Ameila Kerr and Maddy Green, who scored 77 and 65 runs, respectively. Nashra Sandhu and Ghulam Fatima took two wickets each for Pakistan, while Umm-e-Hani claimed one.
Facing the challenging total, Pakistan encountered early setbacks as openers Muneeba Ali and Sidra Amin failed to make an impact. However, veterans Bismah Maroof and Aliya Riaz turned the game around with a crucial 101-run partnership. Bismah scored 68, while Aliya contributed a vital 44.
The match ultimately went into a super over, as the wicket-keeper batter Najiha Alvi’s resilient performance guided Pakistan to a thrilling tie. Aliya Riaz’s outstanding batting led to a 12-run target in the super over, and Sadia Iqbal’s bowling prowess restricted New Zealand to eight runs, resulting in a memorable performance for Pakistan.
With this remarkable display, Pakistan now holds the No. 2 spot in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 with 16 points, closely trailing the top-ranked Australia. Additionally, in the preceding three-match T20I series, Pakistan claimed a 2-1 victory, becoming the first Asian side to challenge New Zealand in a T20I series.
