Daily Times

Conquerors will take on Stars in the final of the National Women’s One-Day Tournament, scheduled on Sunday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The toss of the 45-over final will take place at 9:00am, while the first ball of the match will be bowled at 09.30am, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) press release said on Saturday. The winner of the event will grab PKR 1.5 million, while the runners-up have to settle with PKR 1 million. The match will be live-streamed on PCB’s official YouTube channel, while ball-by-ball coverage will be available on PCB’s corporate website.

Fatima Sana-led Conquerors, who finished on the top of the table with 12 points will eye to conclude the event on the winning note. Conquerors and Sidra Amin’s Stars have met twice against each other in the tournament, with both sides winning one match each. Most recently, at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on 14 December, Conquerors on the back of three wickets apiece by Nashra Sundhu and Syeda Aroob Shah managed a 48-run win.

Right-hand batter Sidra is leading the Stars from front as she has scored 254 runs in eight matches, which included two half-centuries and her 43-ball 53 came in a three-wicket win over Conquerors on 18 November at the HPC Oval Ground in Karachi.

In bowling charts, Stars’ off-spinner Rameen Shamim (eight matches, 18 wickets) and leg-spinner Tuba Hassan (eight matches, 16 wickets) are among the top four bowlers in the tournament.

For Conquerors, captain Fatima has produced all-round performance in the tournament. The 23-year-old has scored 225 from eight matches, which included two half-centuries, while with her right-arm fast she has bagged eight wickets. Right-hand batter Hafsa Khalid is another batter Conquerors will be relying upon. The right-hand batter has scored 217 from eight matches, which included one half-century.

In bowling, Conquerors spin bowlers Nashra Sundhu and Mahnoor Aftab have bagged 17 and 13 wickets, respectively.

Fatima Sana and Sidra Amin talked exclusively to PCB Digital on the eve of the final.

“The young players have shown great potential and skills throughout the tournament and now we are really looking forward to do well in the final.

“We have carried good momentum in the tournament, and now with one game away from winning the trophy, we will not think more about the final and will take it as a normal match,” said Fatima Sana:

“We had a good start in the tournament, but in the middle of the tournament we had some close contest games, so it’s important we finish well in the tournament.

“Our opponent for the final has played good cricket throughout the tournament and the final match will be a good contest and with the match being live-streamed, it will encourage young girls across the country to witness the performances of the players and also take up the sport,” Sidra Amin said.