Eyman Fatima gives Warriors five-wicket win

Right hander scores an unbeaten 88 off 39 balls

Eyman Fatima struck a blazing 88 not out as Warriorrs overhauled the 165-run target on the penultimate ball of the match against Champions in the second match of the PCB Women’s Super-3 T20 Tournament here at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad on Thursday.

Champions, who began the tournament with a win against Incredibles on Wednesday, posted a total of 164-4 in 20 overs on the back of Shawaal Zulfiqar’s 40 and unbeaten thirties from Najiha Alvi and Saira Jabeen.

Tuba Hassan-led Champions failed to defend the total as Eyman took the chase by storm after walking in to bat at 48-3, while none of the batters from her team crossed the 20-run mark.

Warriors will now face Incredibles on Friday at the same venue with the first ball expected to be bowled at 10am PKT.

In the chase, Warriors’ top four batters stuttered with Sadaf Shamas (20), in at no.3, and Ravail Farhan (16) both getting run out. Muneeba Ali could only score 11 off 10 before getting castled by Tasmia Rubab and Gull Rukh departed for just four as Warriors slipped to 58-4.

Eyman continued to pace the chase with timely boundaries as she struck five fours and eight sixes in her brilliant knock bringing her National Women’s T20 form to this tournament as well. She shared a 35-run stand with Rameen Shamim (13) and a match-winning unbeaten 75-run stand with Hafsa Khalid (10 not out).

Warriors needed 72 off 28 balls and Eyman was 24 off balls before she started taking the charge. She first struck Saira Jabeen for a six to close the 16th over, hit Tania Saeed for two sixes in subsequent over and a four and six to Momina Riasat to take the score to 131-5 completing her fifty off 30 balls.

Tania again suffered Eyman onslaught in the 19th over as the left-arm wrist-spinner was belted for a series of 6,4,6 in the first three balls and a six to round off a 24-run over. Warriors needed 10 off the last over and five off last three balls when Eyman finished the game with consecutive fours.

Earlier, Champions posted 164-4 in the allotted 20 overs after Shawaal Zulfiqar scored 40 off 30 balls with the help of two fours and three sixes, while Saira Jabeen (33 not out) and Najiha Alvi (32 not out) stitched a 51-run stand.

For Warriors, Rameen, Hafsa, Shahar Bano and Aleesa Muktiar picked up one wicket each.