By Haris Ahmad
PESHAWAR: Ayesha Zafar struck an unbeaten 47-ball 102 not out to lead Pakistan to 237-5 in 20 overs – their highest-ever total in WT20Is – as the hosts thumped Zimbabwe in the opening match of the three-game T20I series by a record margin of 153 runs here at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi on Tuesday night.
Zimbabwe were bundled out for 84 in 18.2 overs in reply to Pakistan’s mammoth total with skipper Fatima Sana leading the charge with miserly figures of 3-0-7-3 including an early double strike in the third over, while Sadia Iqbal and Natalia Parvaiz also chipped in with two wickets each.
It is Pakistan’s largest winning margin by runs, overtaking their 147-run thumping of Malaysia in 2018 in Kuala Lumpur. The second and third T20Is of the series will take place on 14 and 15 April at the National Bank Stadium with the first ball scheduled to be bowled at 7.30pm PKT. Ayesha walked in to bat in the second over after Pakistan lost Muneeba Ali to Nomvelo Sibanda for two with 23 runs on the board. Ayesha and Gull Feroza (37, 19b, 8x4s) then shared a 34-run stand off 16 balls to set the foundation of the big total. Zimbabwe removed Gull and debutant Saira Jabeen – who became 59th WT20I cap for Pakistan – in a space of six balls to reduce Pakistan to 68-3 in 5.4 overs. Pakistan were 101-4 in 10 overs after Natalia’s departure, which brought Aliya Riaz to the middle.
That Pakistan were able to ransack 136 runs off the last 60 balls in their innings was due to Ayesha’s 35-ball 67-run stand with Aliya (48, 23b, 4x4s, 4x6s) and then a fiery unbeaten 27-ball 70-run partnership with captain Fatima (21 not out, 13b, 3x4s).
Ayesha’s 47-ball unbeaten century – the fastest besides Muneeba Ali’s two centuries in the format for Pakistan and joint-third fastest overall – came after she accelerated brilliantly in the last three overs of the innings going from 67 off 38 to 102 unscathed. Ayesha was on 90 with three balls left in the innings when she struck Sibanda for a six, a double and a memorable four on the last ball to bring up her first international century in style.
Pakistan’s total is also the third-highest WT20I score by a full member nation in the format besides Bangladesh’s 255-2 in 2019 against Maldives and England’s 250-3 in 2018 against South Africa. Meanwhile, Ayesha’s 15 fours and two sixes are the most boundaries by a Pakistan batter in WT20Is to go with 37 boundaries overall in innings – the most by hosts in the format as well.
In turn, only Natasa Mtomba (24, 20b, 4x4s) Adel Zimunu (18, 34b, 1×4) and Beloved Biza (10, 7b, 2x4s) managed to enter double figures for Zimbabwe. Fatima’s three strikes also made her the leading wicket-taker among pacers for Pakistan in WT20Is as she now has 46 scalps in the format after overtaking Asmavia Iqbal’s tally of 44 wickets.
Apart from Sadia and Natalia’s two wickets each, Rameen picked up one, while another debutant Amber Kainat – WT20I cap 60 for Pakistan – bowled two overs of right-arm pace for 14 runs.
Scores in brief
1st T20I – Pakistan women beat Zimbabwe women by 153 runs at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
Pakistan 237-5, 20 overs (Ayesha Zafar 102 not out, Aliya Riaz 48, Gull Feroza 37, Fatima Sana 21 not out; Nomvelo Sibanda 2-59)
Zimbabwe 84 all out, 18.2 overs (Natasha Mtomba 24; Fatima Sana 3-7, Natalia Parvaiz 2-3, Sadia Iqbal 2-14)
Player of the match – Ayesha Zafar (Pakistan women)
Tour schedule:
1st ODI – Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 168 runs
2nd ODI – Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 206 runs
3rd ODI – Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets
1st T20I – Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 153 runs
2nd T20I – 14 April
3rd T20I – 15 April
Edited by Sumayyah Ahmad
Editor/Reporter
www:sportslinehd.com
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