Women’s T20 WC: Australia beat Pakistan to remain perfect with three in three but suffer injuries

Dubai, Oct 12 (IANS) Reigning champions Australia romped for their third win in three matches after a massive victory over Pakistan in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium here on Friday. Australia rode on a superb effort by their bowlers to bundle out Pakistan for 82 and then reached 83/1 with 54 balls remaining for a nine-wicket triumph that took them to six points from three games.

However, injuries to two players soured an otherwise dominant day for Australia as they moved to the brink of semifinal qualification. There was an early blow for Australia in the game as they lost pace bowler Tayla Vlaeminck to a shoulder injury picked up on the field. But the depleted Australian bowling attack nevertheless proved tough for Pakistan to handle, as they took a stranglehold on the Group A contest.

Ashleigh Gardner returned excellent figures of 4-21, while there were also wickets for Georgia Wareham 2-16, Megan Schutt 1-7, Sophie Molineux 1-19 and Annabel Sutherland 2-15.

Only four Pakistan batters reached double figures, with Aliya Riaz top-scoring with a defiant 26 (off 32 balls) from number six.

And the chase was a cakewalk for Australia, who reached 83/1 to win in just 11 overs. Alyssa Healy top scored with 37 not out, although the captain retired hurt after picking up an injury when running for a quick single.

Australia captain Alyssa Healy won the toss and decided to bowl first against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The defending champions picked up two wickets in the Power-play to restrict Pakistan to 23/2 in the opening six overs.

Muneeba Ali was the first to go, lofting a catch to Phoebe Litchfield off Sophie Molineux for 7, and Sadaf Shamas soon joined her back in the dugout, caught behind off Megan Schutt for 3. There was a setback for Australia though, with Tayla Vlaeminck forced from the field due to an injury she picked up off just the fourth ball of the innings.

Australia showed their impressive depth in quality as they picked up two further wickets with their change bowlers. All-rounder Annabel Sutherland had opener Sidra Amin (12) trapped in front, and Georgia Wareham removed Omaima Sohail (3) to leave Pakistan four down and in need of something special to build a competitive score.

Pakistan’s resistance appeared all but over when Nida Dar (10) was stumped by Healy off Wareham, but Aliya Riaz had other ideas, taking the game long. A three-wicket over from Gardner left Pakistan on the brink, and Sutherland finished the job as Riaz was finally dismissed off the penultimate ball of the innings for 26.

Openers Healy and Beth Mooney got Australia’s chase off to a flier, with a flurry of boundaries eating into the target inside the powerplay.

The impressive Sadia Iqbal struck to remove Mooney for a run-a-ball 15, but Australia had reached 46/1 after six overs, already halfway to the winning number. Healy (37* from 23) was given a reprieve when she was dropped in the outfield by Sandhu and looked set to take advantage by steering her team to victory.

But the Australian skipper pulled up in the process of running a single off the first ball of the tenth over and was forced to retire hurt, leaving the field in clear discomfort.

Ellyse Perry and Ashleigh Gardner finished the job, reaching the target with nine overs to spare, meaning Australia are all-but guaranteed a spot in the semifinals.

Brief scores:

Pakistan 82 all out in 19.5 overs (Aliya Riaz 26; Ashleigh Gardner 4-21, Annabel Sutherland 2-15, Georgia Wareham 2-16) lost to Australia 83/1 in 11 overs (Alyssa Healy 37 ret hurt, Ellyse Perry 22 not out; Sadia Iqbal 1-17) by nine wickets.

–IANS

bsk/