After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first on a pitch that offered assistance to the bowlers. Despite a slow start, Pakistan’s middle order, led by captain Fatima Sana, helped stabilize the innings. Sana’s quickfire 30 off 20 balls, including 3 boundaries and a six, provided much-needed momentum in the closing overs. Nida Dar also contributed with a steady 23 from 22 balls, anchoring the innings in the middle.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers did a commendable job, with their three-pronged attack of Chamari Athapaththu, Sugandika Kumari, and Udeshika Prabodhani each claiming three wickets. Their disciplined bowling restricted Pakistan to 116/10 in 20 overs, a score that seemed achievable for Sri Lanka under normal circumstances.
However, the chase got off to a rocky start when captain Chamari Athapaththu was dismissed cheaply. The early loss of their star batter set the tone for a shaky innings, with wickets falling at regular intervals. Apart from Vishmi Gunaratne’s 20 runs at the top of the order and Nilakshi de Silva’s 22, no other batter could get into double figures, leaving Sri Lanka struggling throughout their innings.
At one point, the Sri Lankan team was languishing at 52/5, putting immense pressure on the lower order. Pakistan’s bowlers, led by Sadia Iqbal (3/17), Nashra Sandhu (2/15), and Omaima Sohail (2/17), exploited Sri Lanka’s weaknesses and bowled with great accuracy.
Sadia Iqbal’s three wickets, combined with crucial contributions from Nashra Sandhu and Omaima Sohail, broke the backbone of Sri Lanka’s batting line-up. The spinners were particularly effective on the slow Sharjah pitch, making it difficult for Sri Lanka to build partnerships and accelerate the run rate.
This comprehensive win puts Pakistan on top of Group ‘A’ in the Women’s T20 World Cup points table, boosting their confidence as the tournament progresses. On the other hand, Sri Lanka will need to reflect on their poor batting performance and regroup for their upcoming matches to stay competitive in the tournament.
The loss by 31 runs highlighted areas of concern for Sri Lanka, especially their batting under pressure, and will prompt the team to make adjustments moving forward.
