Humbling defeat: Girls in Green bow out of World T20

Lose to England by 68 runs in one-sided match.

Pakistan women’s 2016 World T20 campaign came to an abrupt halt yesterday as they lost out to England by 68 runs in their final Group B match at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, England openers Charlotte Edwards and Tammy Beaumont came out firing, with their 68-run first-wicket stand finally breaking in the ninth over.

Nida Dar, who was Pakistan’s best bowler on the day with figures of 3-21, ended the partnership when she got Beaumont caught by Muneeba Ali.



Nida’s next two overs reaped a wicket each as Pakistan made a comeback in the game which had seemed one-sided until then.

But that flurry of wickets would fail to slow down Edwards, who continued the onslaught from the other end, making an unbeaten 61-ball 77 laced with ten boundaries.



The start of Pakistan’s innings was completely the opposite of England’s as they lost their first wicket in the opening over when Sidra Ameen was dismissed by Katherine Brunt for nought.

Nahida Khan then hit two boundaries in an over to Anya Shrubsole and another to Brunt, to take the score to 26. However, their hopes of a semi-final berth were soon dashed as Pakistan dropped a wicket in each over from the fourth to the seventh.



By the time Nain Abidi got out in the seventh over, the Girls in Green had lost half their line-up with just 35 runs on the board.

Nida (16) and captain Sana Mir (11) showed a hint of resistance, but they too couldn’t stabilise Pakistan’s sinking ship as England’s balanced bowling attack continued to steamroll everything that stood in its way.

In the end, the entire Pakistani line-up managed just 80 runs. Edwards was named the player of the match.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th,  2016.

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