Daily Times

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Pakistan women’s cricket team won the three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series on Sunday when they defeated South Africa by seven wickets in the second match at the National Stadium in Karachi.

After losing Shawaal Zulfiqar for 23 runs in the fourth over, Bismah Maroof and Sidra Ameen formed an important 68-run partnership to help the national team chase the visitors’ 151-run target.

Ameen batted brilliantly for 61 runs off 44 balls, including seven boundaries, and was named Player of the Match.

After Maroof and Sidra lost their wickets, Muneeba Ali and Aliya Riaz — who scored the winning boundary on the last ball in the first T20I — built another partnership and chased the target with five balls remaining.

Riaz, once again, delivered with the bat and scored 31 off 18 with an exceptional strike rate of 172.22 and finished the game by scoring a six on the first ball of the last over.

Earlier in the first innings, South Africa’s opening pair of Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits put on a 74-run stand to get them off to a good start.

Brits was the top-scorer for her team once more, scoring 46 runs with three boundaries to help her team post a total of 150/3.

Sadia Iqbal and Nashra Sandhu each took one wicket for Pakistan.

Lineups

Pakistan Women: Sidra Ameen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Bismah Maroof, Nida Dar (c), Muneeba Ali (wk), Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Umme Hani, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal

South Africa Women: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Anneke Bosch, Nadine de Klerk, Delmi Tucker, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Masabata Klaas

Schedule of remaining matches

4 Sep – Third T20I v South Africa

8 Sep – First ODI v South Africa

11 Sep – Second ODI v South Africa

14 Sep – Third ODI v South Africa