Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Spinners Sana Mir, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar and Bismah Maroof claimed all ten wickets between them to roll over Sri Lanka women for 107 in their pursuit of 216 and lead Pakistan women to a 3-0 ODI series sweep in Dambulla, Sri Lanka on Saturday. This was Pakistan women’s first ODI series win since October 2015, when they beat Bangladesh 2-0 in Karachi. With the victory, Pakistan soared to third place in the points table, with just New Zealand and Australia ahead. Sri Lanka had a positive start in their chase with Nipuni Hansika and Chamari Polgampola adding 49 for the first wicket in 13 overs. Sandhu then struck with her left-arm spin to remove Polgampola for 10 and spark a collapse. Sri Lanka lost their 10 wickets for 58 runs to be bowled out in 41.3 overs.

In the over after Polgampola’s dismissal, Mir struck twice to get rid of Hansika, who top-scored with 35 off 40 balls, and wicketkeeper-batsman Rebeca Vandort for a duck. Mir ended with 4 for 27, stretching her series tally to 10. Sandhu took 3 for 18 and finished the series as the joint second highest wicket-taker alongside Dar with five scalps. Hansika was the only Sri Lanka batsman to pass 20.

Earlier, Pakistan had suffered a collapse of their own, going from 170 for 4 to 207 for 9. But a string of useful contributions from the top and the middle order meant it did not hurt them in the end. Opener Nahida Khan scored 46 and found good company from Javeria Khan, who added 30 in a 63-run stand for the second wicket. Captain Bismah, Sidra Ameen, and Dar made twenty-somethings each to give the attack something to bowl at. Ultimately, it proved more than enough.

Brief scores: Pakistan women 215 (Nahida Khan 46, Ama Kanchana 2-35, Shahsikala Siriwardene 2-40) beat Sri Lanka women 107 (Nipuni Hansika 35, Sana Mir 4-27, Nashra Sandhu 3-18) by 108 runs.

Published in Daily Times, March 25^th 2018.