LAHORE: Opener Gaby Lewis’ magnificent half-century steered Ireland women’s team to a series-clinching 34-run victory over Pakistan in the third and final Twenty20 International here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

The victory gave the visiting women a 2-1 series triumph.

Summarised scores:

Chasing 168, only four Pakistan batters managed to get into double figures as the home side was dismissed for 133 in 18.5 overs.

Opener Javeria Khan top-scored for Pakistan smashing a 37-ball 50 laced with seven fours. Veteran all-rounder Nida Dar was other notable run-getter who made a 24-ball 26 containing one four and a six. Fatima Sana, batting at number eight, smashed two fours in her 10-ball 14.

The rest of the home team’s batters struggled to get going.

For Ireland, their pacers captain Laura Delany (3-20 off 2.5 overs), Arlene Kelly (3-19 off three overs) and Jane Maguire (2-26 off four overs) were the main wicket-takers.

Earlier, after Ireland elected to bat first, Lewis and her opening par­tner Amy Hunter gave their team a superb 110-run start in 12.5 overs which paved the way for a solid total of 167-4 for the visitors. Lewis struck a 46-ball 71 featuring eleven fours and a six while Hunter (40 off 35) played a relatively sedate knock containing three fours.

The opening partnership was finally broken when slow left-arm orthodox spinner Nashra Sandhu cleaned up Hunter. Right-handed Lewis was next to go not before top-scoring for her side with a 46-ball 71, smashing 11 fours and one six. Batting at number three, Orla Prendergast contributed a quick-fire 23-ball 37, which included three fours and one six while Rebecca Stokell’s 17 off 14 made sure Ireland post a solid 167 for four off stipulated 20 overs.

For her match-winning innings, Lewis was declared player-of-the-match. She also topped the batting chart with 144 runs in the three-match T20 series, and was named player of the series.

Meanwhile, Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof, in her post-match news conference, reckoned the home side could have done better.

“Though it was a good batting track, but I think we did not bowl well and gave [Ireland] some 20 extra runs. Had the target been around 150 instead of 168, it could have been achievable,” the captain said while answering a question at the presser.

“If any of the top-order players batted deep, we could have finished the game.”

Responding to a query where Pakistan women’s team stood after the shock home series loss to Ireland just a couple of months before the 2023 T20 World Cup, Bismah said the hosts missed a few important players due to injuries but gave credit to the visitors.

“Players like Diana Baig, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba Hasan, who are regular members of our playing XI, were missing in this [Ireland] T20 series which affected our performance,” she said.

“Ireland [on their part] played very well and showed they are not a weak team while we were not up to the mark.”

Prior to the T20 series, Pakistan women swept a three-game ODI rubber against Ireland at the same venue.

The visiting squad will return home in the wee hours of Thursday.

Pakistan women’s team in their next assignment will now take on Australia in Australia for three ODIs which part of ICC Women’s Championship and three T20 Internationals in January 2023 before featuring in the ICC T20 World Cup in February in South Africa.

During Wednesday’s game, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as part of its social corporate responsibility supported the Pink Ribbon campaign to create awareness about breast cancer. In this regard, captains and players of both teams, match officials and commentators wore pink ribbons during the match and awareness messages were displayed inside the Gaddafi Stadium.

Summarised scores: IRELAND 167-4 in 20 overs (Gaby Lewis 71, Amy Hunter 40, Orla Prendergast 37); PAKISTAN 133 in 18.5 overs (Javeria Khan 50, Nida Dar 26; Laura Delany 3-20, Arlene Kelly 3-19, Jane Maguire 2-26).

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2022