Sri Lanka won a low scoring thriller against Pakistan in the ICC Women’s world cup yesterday to register their first win in the tournament. The two Asian nations locked horns against each at Leicester to decide who would finish the tournament at the bottom of the table.
Riding on Diana Baig’s effective bowling Pakistan restricted Sri Lanka to 221 runs and were in control of the chase until run outs and some clinical bowling from the Sri Lankans derailed them.
In the end, Pakistan fell short of 15 runs and ended their World Cup campaign with seven defeats from seven matches. Sri Lanka who were also knocked out of the tournament would look at this hard fought victory as a consolation prize and would be happy to have a sweet end to their disappointing tour so far.
This inconsequential and low scoring game was full of drama and had plenty of exciting moments. Here we look at the five talking points from this encounter between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
#5 Diana Baig made the ball talk in the first spell
Diana Baig does plenty of things. She is an international cricketer who bowls controlled and accurate medium pace and is also effective in the batting department. On top of that, she has also represented her nation in football.
At Leicester yesterday, she displayed her skills of bowling with the new ball. On a slow pitch which offered plenty of help for the bowlers, the right-arm bowler exploited the conditions and tormented the Sri Lankan top order with her swing and movement off the seam.
The 21-year-old began the carnage in her first over itself. On the fourth ball of the over she got better of Nipuni Hansika and dismantled her stumps. In the next over she found the outside edge of Hasini Perera which was caught safely by the wicket-keeper. The two blows reduced Sri Lanka to 18 for two down.
In the next three overs, Baig kept the noose tight with her consistent and probing bowling. In her first spell of five overs, she conceded 20 runs and claimed two wickets to give her team the perfect start for this match.
#4 Manodara and Lokusuriyage’s crucial stand of 76 for the sixth wicket
Batting order’s failure to contribute in the crucial moments has been a key factor for Sri Lanka’s dismal performance in this world cup. And half way through the Sri Lankan innings it seemed to the same old story getting repeated.
After 26 overs, Sri Lanka had lost half of their side and the score was just 98. But then Dilani Manodara and Eshani Lokusuriyage stitched a vital partnership to repair the damage. The two looked scratchy in the beginning but as the innings progressed they batted with confidence and milked runs in the middle overs.
Asmavia Iqbal broke this partnership in the 43rd over by picking up Lokusuriyage’s wicket but by that time Sri Lanka had reached 174 runs with this partnership adding 76 runs for the sixth wicket.
#3 Run-outs dent Pakistan’s chase
While chasing 222 runs, Pakistan needed a solid start. And Javeria Khan responded brilliantly by neutralising the threat posed by Chandima Gunaratne in the first hour.
Javeria played with positive intent and was in full control from the moment she walked to the crease. The first ball she faced, she confidently drove Gunratane for a boundary through covers. She balanced her aggression with strong defence and was looking set for a big score.
However in the 16th over Javeria made a blunder and tried stealing a single which never existed. Javeria was short of the crease when the wicket-keeper dismantled the stumps and thus ended Javeria’s brilliant cameo of 24 runs off 35 balls.
After Javeria’s departure, Nain Abidi anchored Pakistan’s chase and kept the scoreboard ticking during the middle overs. She completed her half-century and was eyeing for more before she too was run out.
In the 32nd over, a terrible mix up resulted in Abidi’s run out and it triggered Pakistan’s downfall. The two run outs of set batsmen at crucial moments opened the gates for Sri Lanka.
#2 Asmavia Iqbal’s valiant fight in the death overs
After choking Pakistan in the middle overs, Sri Lanka was cruising towards victory. However, Asmavia Iqbal had other plans as she fought valiantly and brought Pakistan agonisingly close towards the target.
Coming to bat at number eight with the score 135 for six, Asmavia first added 24 runs for the seventh wicket with Kainat Imtiaz and then stitched a partnership of 22 runs with Baig for the ninth wicket.
Asmavia’a brilliance lied in the way she kept the scoreboard ticking and she prevented the required run rate from going beyond their reach.
Her resilient effort ended as she was run out of partners in the 47th over. Asmavia stood not out after scoring 38 runs from 45 balls but her effort was not enough to steer her team home.
#1 Gunaratne, the match winner
With only 221 runs to defend, the task for Sri Lankan bowlers was uphill. Chandima Gunaratne, the 35-year-old left arm spinner bowled accurately, ticked all boxes and ultimately emerged as the match winner for Sri Lanka.
Sensing the help the wicket offered to slow bowlers, the Sri Lankan captain offered the new ball to Gunaratne and the ploy reaped heavy success. In the sixth over, Gunaratne sent back Nahida Khan and seven overs later accounted for Ayesha Zafar as well.
She bowled for eight overs in her first spell and conceded just 27 runs and prevented the Pakistani batsmen from cutting loose. She came back in the 34th over to inflict further damage and got rid of the dangerous Sana Mir on the first ball of her second spell.
The left-arm spinner then pushed Pakistan further back by claiming her fourth wicket on the last ball of her spell. Using flight she forced Sidra Nawaz to error and took an easy catch in her own follow through.
By picking four wickets in her ten overs, Gunaratne enabled Sri Lanka to win their first game in the tournament.
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