DUNEDIN: Pakistan women’s team created history on Sunday, defeating New Zealand by 7 wickets in the first T20I at the University of Otago Oval in Dunedin.
This marked the first victory for the Pakistan women’s team over the New Zealand women, also known as the White Ferns, in the T20I format. Chasing 128 to win, Pakistan’s opening pair of Muneeba Ali and Shawaal Zulfiqar provided a decent forty-run start to the innings.
Muneeba scored 23 off 24 balls with 4 dashing boundaries and was the first batter to return to the pavilion. At that stage, skipper Nida Dar promoted herself up in the order and posted 51 runs for the second wicket with right-handed batter Shawwal.
The 18-year-old Shawaal, playing her 6th T20I and first on New Zealand soil, scored her highest T20I score of 41 off 42 balls, smashing 7 boundaries all around the ground with great confidence.
Following Shawaal’s departure at the end of the thirteenth over with 91 runs on the board, Nida Dar, too was dismissed after a quick-fire 23 off 14 balls, including a boundary and a sixer.
With back-to-back wickets falling, the experienced pair of Aliya Riaz and Bismah Maroof got together and guided the team to a 7-wicket win with ten balls to spare. Aliya returned not out on 25 of 12 balls. Her innings included two boundaries and a six, the latter of which she struck on the second ball of the ninth over to finish the match. Bismah was undefeated on thirteen of 18 balls, hitting a four.
New Zealand Batting Against Pakistan
Earlier, after opting to bat first, the White Ferns were restricted to 127 for 6 courtesy of a fine bowling display by the touring side.
Right-arm fast Fatima Sana, who missed the Bangladesh tour due to injury, capitalized on the overcast conditions and bowled a spell of four overs, giving away only eighteen runs and bagging 3 wickets. Nida, Aliya, and Diana Baig took a wicket each.
For New Zealand, Maddy Green was the top scorer, scoring 43 off 28 balls and hitting 5 fours. Pakistan will now take on the White Ferns in the second T20I on Tuesday, 5 December, at the same venue. The match will begin at 1300 local time, while the third and final T20I of the series will be played in Queenstown on Saturday, 9 December.
