Sana bags T20I career best 4-26 as Ireland take lead

Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana picked up her best T20I bowling figures of 4-26 and also completed 100 international wickets as Pakistan fell 11 runs short against hosts Ireland in the opening T20I of the three-match series here at the Contarf Cricket Club in Dublin on Wednesday afternoon.

Ireland defended their 142 all out total by restricting Pakistan to 131-9 in the allotted 20 overs. Player of the match Orla Prendergast led the way for Ireland with superb all-round performance as she scored a 26-ball 29 and picked up 3-28 including drawing the first blood in the third over of chase.

Natalia Parvaiz's 23-ball 29 (3 fours, 1 six) and Rameen Shamim's 27 off 20 balls (4x4s) in lower order were not enough to take Pakistan across the line. In pursuit of the target, Pakistan's both opening batters departed for five runs each with 22 runs on the board.

Sidra Amin (15, 15b, 2x4s) and Aliya Riaz's (14, 23b, 2x4s) 20-run partnership couldn't arrest the further slide as Pakistan lost half the side for 54 runs and then skipper Fatima Sana (14, 7b, 3x4s) with just 70 runs on the board in 13 overs.

Rameen and Natalia's 21-ball 31-run stand for the seventh wicket put some pressure on Ireland before Prendergast put an end to it with Pakistan requiring 42 off 21 balls. Pakistan required 22 runs off the last over but only managed 10.

Apart from Prandergast, Jane Maguire picked up figures of 2-20 in her four overs.

Earlier, Pakistan opted to field first after winning the toss. After Fatima castled Gaby Lewis in the third over with 18 runs on the board, Prandergast and Amy Hunter (37, 30b, 5x4s) got together to stitch a 45-run stand off 36 balls.

N0.4 batter Leah Paul (28, 19b, 4x4s) and no.5 batter Laura Delany (16, 15b, 1x4, 1x6) were the other notable contributors to Ireland's total.

Delany became Fatima's 100th victim in international cricket 121 runs on the board after 16.5 overs. From this juncture onwards, Ireland lost six wickets for 21 runs as they were bowled out with two balls to spare. Fatima bettered her previous best of 3-18 against New Zealand in Dunedin in 2023 with 4-26.

Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal, Rameen and Diana Baig picked up one wicket each.

Series schedule:

6 Aug – First T20I – Ireland won by 11 runs; 8 Aug – Second T20I at Clontarf Cricket Club, Dublin; 10 Aug – Third T20I at Clontarf Cricket Club, Dublin