LEEDS: Pakistan women lost the third and final T20I against England by 34 runs and subsequently ended the three-match T20I series without a win on Sunday at Leeds.
Pakistan women started the 177-run chase steadily with Gul Feroza and Sidra Amin scoring 30 runs off 29 balls and 26 runs off 29 balls respectively. However, the momentum shifted when Sidra Amin fell to Sophie Ecclestone, followed by Gul Feroza’s dismissal in the next over by Charlie Dean.
Despite efforts from Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz, who contributed 29 runs off 24 balls and 35 runs off 27 balls respectively, Pakistan’s batting lineup struggled to maintain momentum. England’s bowlers, including Dean, Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, and Danielle Gibson, capitalized on the situation, taking crucial wickets at regular intervals.
Batting first, England posted a formidable total of 176 runs, with Danni Wyatt’s standout innings of 87 runs off 48 balls, featuring 14 fours and a six, leading the charge.
Opener Wyatt capitalized on sloppy fielding – she was dropped on 12, 79 and 81 – to score the bulk of England’s 176.
Wyatt struck 45 from her last 16 balls at which stage England looked on course for a bigger total but her dismissal was the first of eight wickets lost for 58 runs as the hosts were dismissed in exactly 20 overs.
That score – England’s highest of the series – still proved well beyond Pakistan, even with a good start by the tourists.
Pakistani skipper Nida Dar and pacer Diana Baig were the standout performers with the ball, claiming three wickets each, while emerging pace sensation Fatima Sana chipped in with a wicket.
Pakistan were always behind the scoring rate in reaching 60-0 and when Sophie Ecclestone dismissed Sidra Amin for 26th in the ninth over, fellow opener Gul Feroza was caught for 30 in the next over.
Captain Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz shared an unbroken stand of 69 – Pakistan’s highest in T20s against England – to stretch the game out but Pakistan ended well short on 142-4.
The series defeat adds to Pakistan’s recent woes, following losses to West Indies in both T20I and ODI series at home. Despite the setbacks, Nida Dar achieved a significant milestone by becoming the leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket, amassing 140 wickets after dismissing Alice Capsey and Amy Jones in the second T20I of the series.
Next is a three-match one-day international series between the same two sides, starting in Derby on Thursday, May 23.
