Pakistan secured a remarkable victory against Asian champions Sri Lanka to begin their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign in Sharjah on Thursday. Opting to bat first, Pakistan faced a challenging start as Sri Lankan spinners effectively controlled the opposition batters. Sugandika Kumari and captain Chamari Athapaththu each claimed three wickets.
A late contribution from Pakistani captain Fatima Sana propelled the team to a total of 116 runs. Sri Lanka struggled to chase the target as they faced difficulties against Pakistan's spin bowlers, resulting in a 31-run victory for Pakistan.
Pakistan's bowling effort got off to a discouraging start when Diana Baig pulled up injured after delivering the very first ball of the innings. Unfortunately, she was forced to leave the field due to what appeared to be a significant injury.
However, Pakistan quickly turned the tide and delivered an outstanding performance. Sana claimed a crucial wicket by dismissing Athapaththu, and Omaima Sohail followed suit by taking two important wickets, removing both Harshitha Samarawickrama (7 from 10) and Hasini Perera (8 from 10). This left Sri Lanka struggling at 35/3 with the required run rate increasing.
The spinners proved to be a formidable challenge for Sri Lanka, as their chase faltered under the lights in Sharjah. Sadia Iqbal was the standout performer with figures of 3/17, while Nashra Sandhu conceded just 15 runs in her four overs, putting immense pressure on the Sri Lankan batsmen.
With only three boundaries scored throughout the innings, Sri Lanka suffered a defeat that puts their Group A campaign in jeopardy early in the tournament. They now face tough competition from highly-ranked opponents in the remaining matches.
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