Pakistan Women clinch series

Sadia, Javeria shine in 89-run win over Ireland in second ODI.

Pakistan Women clinched the two-match series against their Ireland counterparts, winning the second One-Day International (ODI) by a healthy margin of 89 runs at YMCA Cricket Club, Dublin, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Javeria Khan made a career-best 81 in Pakistan’s total of 248 all out after they had elected to bat before Sadia Yousuf recorded her maiden five-wicket haul in ODIs to demolish the Ireland batting line-up.

The left-arm spinner Yousuf, who now has 44 wicket in just 29 ODIs, never let the Ireland players settle with her figures of five for 35 in nine overs restricting the hosts to 159 all out inside 44 overs.

Chasing 249, Ireland lost their first wicket at the score of eight but an 84-run partnership between Clare Shillington and Cecelia Joyce helped revive the run-chase. Yousuf provided the breakthrough when she had Shillington caught behind, ending the only resistance that was to come from the Irish.

She struck again to dismiss Joyce for 49 – the top-scorer in the Ireland innings – and the hosts’ resistance came to an end. Regular fall of wickets meant Ireland were nowhere near Pakistan’s total and folded in the 44th over.

Earlier, Pakistan openers added 49 runs, before a 94-run partnership between Javeria Khan and Nain Abidi built a solid platform in the final 10 overs. Abidi fell for a 69-ball 50, while Javeria scored 81 off 105 balls with eight fours. Bismah Maroof, the in-form player, looked set to take Pakistan to a big score but the side lost five wickets in the last three overs.

The win caps off a successful series for Pakistan ahead of their Women’s World Twenty20 qualifiers against Thailand, Zimbabwe and the Netherlands, which will be played on July 23, 25 and 27.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2013.

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.