Sports Report
CAPE TOWN: India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by seven wickets in the Women’s T20 World Cup at Newlands on Sunday.
Chasing 150 to win, India reached their target with six balls to spare after Jemimah Rodrigues hit an undefeated 53 off 38 deliveries with eight fours.
Earlier, Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof (68 not out) and hard-hitting Ayesha Naseem (43 not out) had boosted their side’s total after struggling to 68 for four in the 13th over.
Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof and hard-hitting batter Ayesha Naseem shared a quick-scoring partnership to lift their side after a slow start in their Women’s T20 World Cup against arch-rival India at Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday.
Pakistan posted 149 runs target for India in Women’s T20 World Cup
Pakistan posted 149 runs for four after deciding to bat on a dry pitch. It was a total that looked unlikely when Pakistan were laboring at 68 for four in the 13th over.
But Bismah Maroof (68 not out) and Ayesha Naseem (43 not out) transformed Pakistan’s innings in an unbeaten partnership of 81 runs off 47 balls.
The left-handed Bismah Maroof faced 55 balls and hit seven boundaries, while the 18-year-old Ayesha Naseem hammered her runs off 25 balls, hitting four boundaries.
Naseem went on the attack as she came in, with some powerful hitting, including a six-over long-off in an over from the medium-pacer Renuka Singh, which cost 18 runs.
Maroof and Ayesha Naseem added to the pressure on the Indian team with good running between the wickets.
India had to deliver the last two overs with with nine fielders inside the fielding circle instead – a penalty for a slow over rate.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 149-4 in 20 overs (Ayesha Naseem 43 not out, Bismah Maroof 68 not out; Radha Yadav 2-21).
