DUBLIN: Irish allrounder Orla Prendergast starred with both bat and ball to lead Ireland to an 11-run win over Pakistan in the opening T20I of the three-match series at Clontarf Cricket Club on Wednesday.
Prendergast contributed a handy 29 with the bat before returning to claim three wickets, helping restrict Pakistan to 131 for 9 in 20 overs in pursuit of a 143-run target.
Middle-order batter Natalia Pervaiz top-scored for Pakistan with a quickfire 39 off 23 deliveries, while Rameen Shamim added 27 from 20 balls, but the visitors fell short in their chase to concede an early series lead.
Besides them, top-order batter Sidra Amin (15), Aliya Riaz and skipper Fatima Sana, 14 each, could amass double figures as the rest were outclassed by a disciplined bowling performance by Ireland.
Prendergast was the pick of the bowlers for Ireland, taking three wickets for just 28 runs, followed by Jane Maguire with two, while Ava Canning, Cara Murray and Lara McBride made one scalp apiece.
Put into bat first, Ireland’s batting unit unfolded on a modest 142 in 19.4 overs.
The home side got off to a shaky start to their innings as their captain Gaby Lewis (one) was cleaned up by Pakistan counterpart Sana in the third over with just 18 runs on the board.
Following the early stutter, Hunter was joined by Orla Prendergast in the middle, and together they raised an anchoring 45 runs for the second wicket until the opener eventually fell victim to Nashra Sandhu in the ninth over.
Hunter remained the top-scorer for Ireland with a 30-ball 37, featuring five fours.
Prendergast followed suit two overs later as she was dismissed by Rameen Shamim in the 13th over after scoring 29 off 26 deliveries with the help of three boundaries.
Middle-order batter Leah Paul then knitted a one-sided 25-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Laura Delany until getting dismissed by Sadia Iqbal. She scored 29 off 18 deliveries with the help of four fours.
Paul’s dismissal sparked a match-defining collapse, which saw Ireland lose wickets at an alarming rate until eventually being bowled out on 142 with two balls left.
Skipper Fatima Sana was the standout bowler for Pakistan as she picked up four wickets for just 26 runs in her four overs, while Sadia, Nashra, Rameen and Diana Baig made one scalp apiece.
The 11-run victory helped Ireland to secure a 1-0 lead in three-match series against Pakistan, while also extending their unbeaten streak to eight games in the shortest format.
