DAMBULLA(Sri Lanka): Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali’s standout performances helped Pakistan clinch a nine-wicket win over Nepal in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday.
Paksitan won the toss and opted to bowl against Nepal, and Nida Dar’s decision did go in Women in Green’s favour.
Sita Rana Magar (26 runs from 30 balls, 3 fours) and Kabita Joshi (31* runs from 23 balls, 4 fours and 1 six) were the players from the Nepal batting lineup to score the highest runs. No other Nepali players could smash a fifty in the game.
Puja Mahato (25 runs from32 balls, 3 fours) also helped Nepal and pulled them to 108/6 in the first inning.
The Pakistan bowling attack did not delivered a eye-catching performance in the game as most of the wickets were from run outs. However, Sadia Iqbal led the Pakistani bowling attack after she bagged two wickets and gave 19 runs in her four-over spell. Fatima Sana also picked up one one wicket and gave 24 runs in her four-over spell.
During the run chase, Gull Feroza (57 runs from 35 balls, 10 fours) and Muneeba Ali (46 runs from 34 balls, 8 fours) opened for Pakistan and single-handedly clinched a win for the Women in Green.
The two Pakistani openers displayed a stupendous performance during the run chase and put up a 105-run stand and finished the game in the 12th over. However, Feroza was unlucky to lose her wicket in the 12th over against Nepal’s Kabita Joshi.
Kabita Joshi was the only wicket-taker for Nepal. She gave away 19 runs in her 1.5-over spell.
Brief score: Nepal 108/6 (Kabita Joshi 31*, Sita Rana Magar 26, Puja Mahato 25; Sadia Iqbal 2/19) vs Pakistan 110/1 (Gull Feroza 57, Muneeba Ali 46*, Tuba Hassan 1; Kabita Joshi 1/19). (ANI)