Pakistan were all but out of contention for the semi-finals of the Women's World Twenty20 as they lost their second group match against Australia in Galle on Saturday.
Playing their second match in A, following a 43-run defeat at the hands of England, Pakistan were handed a 25-run loss by the defending champions under the Duckworth-Lewis method as rain stopped play at the end of the ninth over.
According to the D/L-method revised target, Pakistan had to be past 64 runs in nine overs in order to record a win. The girls in green, however, were only able to score 38 runs for the loss of three wickets in the face of a stiff 146-run (original) target set by Australia.
Veteran batter Qanita Jalil top-scored for Pakistan with 13 runs as she hit two fours. Captain Sana Mir was removed for 0 on the third ball of the innings. Ellyse Perry took two wickets (Mir and Jalil) while Julie Hunter dismissed Nahida Khan (7). Nida Dar (6) and Nain Abidi (7) were at the crease when rain stopped play.
Earlier, the Australian batters attacked from the beginning as openers Alyssa Healy (36) and Meg Lanning (16) shared a 53-run stand. Slow left-arm bowler Sadia Yousuf bowled out Healy in the ninth over, while Lanning was run out two balls later by captain Sana Mir and wicketkeeper Batool Fatima.
However, Australia soon formed another formidable partnership between Jess Cameron (42) and Lisa Sthalekar (39), who took the attack to the Pakistani bowlers and hit six fours and two sixes in their 64-run stand. Pacer Asmavia Iqbal removed Cameron in the 17th over and Sthalekar followed soon after as Yousuf had her caught behind for her second wicket.
At this point, however, Australia had put up 129 runs and finished with a flurry of ones and twos despite losing another wicket on the second last ball of their innings as Mir removed Alex Blackwell on 5. Captain Jodie Fileds (13) and Lauren Ebsary (2) remained unbeaten for the defending champions.
Jess Cameron was named player of the match.
Pakistan play India in their last group match on Monday, October 1. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.
Below is a Dawn.com exclusive video as we join the women’s team at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore and the Southend Club in Karachi and bring to light their journey so far, with all the trials and tribulations. We also ask Mir and various other team members how they see their future panning out with an immediate focus on the World T20. - Video by Sara Faruqi and Hafsa Adil.
http://vimeo.com/50360863