Pak VS NZ - 3rd ODI

New Zealand Women won the toss and opt to bat first.

 

Pakistan XI: Sana Mir, Javeria Khan, Sadia Yousuf, Bismah Maroof (c), Aiman Anwer, Nahida Khan, Sidra Ameen, Iram Javed, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Aliya Riaz and Nashra Sandhu

 

New Zealand XI: Suzie Bates (c), Sophie Devine, Thamsyn Newton, Sam Curtis, Amy Satterthwaite, Maddy Green, Hannah Rowe, Katey Martin (wk), Leigh Kasperek, Anna Peterson and Amelia Kerr

 

Umpires: Khalid Mahmood(PAK) & Asif Yaqoob(PAK) Reserve Umpire: Rashid Riaz(PAK) Match Referee: Mohammad Javed(PAK)

 

1st Innings:

After losing the series Pakistan women introduced Aiman Amwer for the first time in this series and she opened the attack. New Zealand women sent their familiar pair of Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates to open. New Zealand lost in-form batswomen Sophie Devine 2(3) to a frustrating run-out in just the second over and it provided much-needed strength to Pakistan. New Zealand tried to swipe out at the pressure of the first wicket loss and they lost their skipper Suzie Bates 4(18) stumped by Sidra Nawaz from a delivery of Sana Mir. It slowed the run-rate of New Zealand and Aiman Anwer bowled Amy Satterthwaite 5(24).

 

New Zealand were 31/3 after 11 overs. Right-handed Maddy Green came to the crease and along with Katey Martin carried the innings to the 17th over, when Katey Martin 17(29) was bowled by Nashra Sandhu. Sam Curtis playing her first match in the series did her best to spare the innings but now Maddy Green 26(52) was adjudged lbw from the bowling of Bismah Maroof and umpire didn’t take much time to raise his finger.

 

Anna Peterson joined Sam Curtis with five wickets down. Peterson 15(17) showed the blade of her bat but not for a long time and was caught by Nashra Sandhu from Sana Mir’s ball. Amelia Kerr came into the middle and supported Curtis 50(78) to complete her half-century but just after Curtis played a loose shot and Nashra Sandhu didn’t make a mistake to grab the ball for the catch.

 

Kerr 12(25); Hannah Rowe 2(5) and Thamsyn Newton 7(12) got out on a regular basis trying to score a bit faster. Thus, New Zealand was all-out for 155 in just 43.4 overs. It was the first time that Pakistan’s bowlers dominated the White Ferns in the series. Aiman Anwer remained the most economical (6-1- 13-1). Sana Mir somewhat expensive to Anwer but effective (8.4- 0-25- 4); Sadia Yousuf did an excellent job (10-0- 23-2). Nashra Sandhu and Bismah Maroof got one wicket each.

 

2nd Innings:

3.12 was the required run-rate for Pakistan to secure their first victory in the series and they did just that to finish the series 1-2. Sidra Ameen along with Nahida Khan, for the first time in the series, opened in absence of Ayesha Jafar and both the openers played a very safe game in a 39-run partnership from 13 overs. In the fourteen over Nahida Khan, 23(31) was found lbw to Rowe who appealed for the confirmation and umpire raised his finger in response.

 

Javeria Khan who been in a good touch in the series and came in to join Sidra Ameen and this pair collected runs slowly but steadily. In the 21st over Kerr bowled a slow yorker and appealed for lbw against Sidra Ameen 32(75) and the umpire gave the decision. Skipper Bismah Maroof came in and remained unbeaten 36 on 69 balls. But at the other end wickets continued to fall. substitute Katie Perkins caught Javeria Khan 29(49) from Anna Peterson’s bowling.

 

Iram Javed 1(7) didn’t survive for long and was caught by Amy Satterthwaite to give Peterson another wicket. Aliya Riaz 7(28) playing her first match in the series took time to get started but didn’t. Former skipper Sana Mir 12 runs on 34 balls took her time and remained unbeaten.

 

Both the former and current skippers finished the chase with victory seven balls spare. Anna Peterson was marvelous (10-1- 25-2); Newton did her job perfectly (10-2- 26-1); Kerr supported the other bowlers (10-0- 28-1) and Rowe was expensive (5-1- 29-1). The rest of the bowlers didn’t get wickets but bowled very economically.

 

Match Facts:

-White Ferns sealed the 3-match series with 2-1.

-Sana Mir was Player of the Match for her dominating bowling performance and an unbeaten 12.

-Sophie Devine was Player of the Series for 167 runs (a century and a half-century).

-Sam Curtis smashed her second half-century. -23 fours were hit by both teams.