Pakistan staged a determined fightback to beat Sri Lanka by 31 runs in their opening game of the Women’s T20 World Cup campaign in Sharjah on Thursday.
Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal claimed three wickets with Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail and captain Fatima Sana all taking two each for Pakistan as Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka fell comfortably short of their target of 117.
Pakistan needed a crucial lower-order knock from Sana to post a competitive total, having slumped to 84-8 after winning the toss and choosing to bat.
Sugandika Kumari had both Pakistan openers caught behind off her left-arm spin and the wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.
Sohail made 18 and Nida Dar added 23 but Pakistan looked in danger of failing to reach 100 as Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu picked up three wickets with her off-spin.
Athapaththu finished with 3-18 and Kumari took 3-19 but Sana’s 30 off 20 balls, featuring three fours and a six, frustrated Sri Lanka and proved a match-winning contribution.
She was eventually dismissed by left-arm seamer Udeshika Prabodhani, who ended with 3-20.
Pakistan lost opening bowler Diana Baig to a calf strain after just one ball of the Sri Lanka innings, but her replacement Sana picked up the vital wicket of Athapaththu — caught at extra cover for six.
Sohail bowled Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera cheaply, but while Vishmi Gunaratne remained at the crease there was hope for Sri Lanka. Kavisha Dilhari holed out to long-on off Sandhu while trying to increase the run rate to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 47-4 in the 11th over.
Nilakshika Silva earned a reprieve when she was trapped lbw from a delivery called a dead ball after Sandhu’s towel fell out of her pocket.
But Gunaratne perished for 20 three balls later as she was caught just inside the boundary attempting to hit Sandhu straight down the ground.
Silva departed for 22 in the penultimate over after a top edge to short fine leg.
Neither team has ever made it out of the group stage in eight previous attempts at the T20 World Cup.
Pakistan face arch-rivals India in their next game on Sunday, while Sri Lanka take on tournament favourites Australia, who are bidding for a seventh title in nine editions.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty described her team’s first victory in a Women’s T20 World Cup match for a decade as “very emotional” and suggested it would create “momentum” for the women’s game at home.
Bangladesh secured a 16-run win over Scotland in their World Cup opener in Sharjah after posting what appeared to be a flimsy 119-7 in their 20 overs. Their bowling attack, however, tied the Scots down and restricted them to 103-7.
“I would say that a win after 10 years, we all are very emotional because we have been waiting for this victory for a long time,” said Joty who was playing in her 100th T20I.
“No matter how good the cricket we play, if it doesn’t translate into victory, it means nothing. And I would say for women’s cricket, after a long time, I feel like we have done something.
“We have always said about Bangladesh that we have to create momentum and then we will move forward with that momentum.
“Now it seems like we are going to dream of doing something bigger. Similarly, the fans and family who support us in Bangladesh are dreaming that we can do something better than that.”
The momentum for women’s cricket in Bangladesh would have had a far bigger boost had they been staging the event as planned.
Instead, weeks of widespread political unrest in Bangladesh, which eventually led to the installation of an interim government, saw the tournament switched to the United Arab Emirates, with Bangladesh remaining as nominal hosts.
“Initially it was very heartbreaking because we always bear in mind that we are going to play in front of our home crowd,” said Joty. “But still, the people who came here today, it was brilliant.
“As a professional player and as a professional team, I think we should move on from the disappointment, not think about what could have been.
“We were able to play here and we are pretty fortunate. We all are healthy and we all are safe and representing our country and got a good win in front of a good number of people.
“Back home, they were very happy. We will get the reaction of our family and friends and fans. And definitely, they’re in a very good mood right now.”
Scotland’s Saskia Horley, who took 3-13 at the back end of the Bangladesh innings, admitted there was “a bit of disappointment” about losing their first T20 World Cup match but said there was “a hell of a lot of passion and pride” about competing at the World Cup.
“You know, our captain, Kathyrn Bryce, just said like, we’re going to be history makers here. Anything above that is a bonus.”
Bangladesh remain in Sharjah for their next Group B game against England on Saturday while Scotland, who were playing their first-ever T20 World Cup match, will be up against former champions West Indies in Dubai on Sunday.
