Windies down valiant Pak Women in thriller

KARACHI: Pakistan Women pushed the game into Super Over but could not prevent the Windies from making it 2-0 in the three-match Twenty20 International series here at the Southend Club on Friday.

Deandra Dotting and Shakera Selman were the stars of the show. Dottin first hammered two sixes and a four off Sana Mir in the Super Over, setting Pakistan 19 to win. It was a daunting target, and Selman reaped the rewards of Pakistan’s urgency, scalping both Aliya Riaz and Nida Dar.

Pakistan had opted to bat, and had set the Windies a fairly tricky target of 133, with Javeria Khan and Bismah Maroof doing well to revive the innings after the early loss of Umaima Sohail for nought.

Javeria and Bismah put on a fine 59 for the second wicket, with both batters running between wickets every chance they got.

Bismah was stumped off the leg-spin of Afy Fletcher for a 34-ball 31 and in the very next over, Javeria was seen off by Dottin for a 28-ball 26. Suddenly, Pakistan were 63-3 in 12 overs.

But Nida and Iram Javed revived the innings once again. They put on a 27-run stand before the latter was snared by Dottin for a 17-ball 18. Then, when Aliya walked in, the scoring-rate shot up. She scored a 13-ball 23, and Nida contributed with a 24-ball 25.

They quickly added 42 in just over four overs, with Nida even launching a six en route.The Windies had strong contributions from the top order, but a middle-order wobble nearly cost them the game. Dottin and Kycia Knight put on a quick 30 for the opening wicket before Anam Amin had Dottin dismissed for a 24-ball 22.

Knight carried on, with Shemaine Campbelle for company. Their 54-run stand, however, was slow progress, coming as it did in nine overs. That heaped the pressure on the middle order once the stand was broken – Knight was run-out for a 30-ball 32 – and suddenly, the Windies encountered a slide.

Chedean Nation (13) was trapped in front, and became Anam’s second victim, Natasha McLean was stumped off Sana for 1, and Campbelle’s long innings ended when Aiman Anwer sent her back for a 44-ball 41.

The Windies were 117-5, but Chinelle Henry scored an unbeaten 5-ball 11 to help tie the scores, despite the late fall of captain Merissa Aguilleira for a 7-ball 6. It proved just about enough.