New Zealand beat Pakistan, reach Women's T20 World Cup semis

Mohammad Abdullah, Senior Sports Reporter

A clinical New Zealand defeated a hapless Pakistan by 54 runs to book berth in the semifinals of the ICC Women’s World Cup in Dubai on Monday. The fate of the three teams was hanging in balance before the match.

India, Pakistan and New Zealand all were in contention to go through to the semis. After restricting New Zealand to 110/6, Pakistan had to chase down the target in just 10.4 overs to qualify for the semis.

But they were never in the hunt for a victory, leave alone qualifying. They were off to a faltering start as they lost the wicket of opener Aliya Riyaz for seven runs.

Aliya was promoted up the order to set the tone for a successful chase but she failed to open her account even, putting pressure on Pakistan.

After losing Aliya early in the innings, Pakistan came under pressure and they kept on losing the wickets at regular intervals.

Iram Javed was found short of her ground and Jonas rattled the stumps of Sadaf Shamas after Muneeba was clean bowled by Tahuhu as Pakistan were reduced to 21/4 in fives overs.

Only skipper Fatima Sana waged the lone battled with a fighting 21 off 23 deliveries to show some resistance against New Zealand.

No other batter except Sana and Muneeba could reach the double-figure mark as Pakistan inning was folded for a paltry 56 in 11.4 overs.

Earlier, New Zealand were off to a fiery start as their openers added 41 runs for the first wicket to lay down the foundation for a big total.

Riding on the sloppy fielding of Pakistan, New Zealand amassed 110/6.  Pakistan came into the match with butter fingers.

Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer toyed with the hapless Pakistani bowling attack as they hit the bowlers all over the ground at their will.

Pakistan were desperately looking for a breakthrough but New Zealand batters kept them at bay.

They were assisted by the sloppy fielding of Pakistan. Both the New Zealand openers capitalised on the missed chances.

Pakistan would have got their first wicket as early as in the fifth over when Muneeba put down Bates off Nashra Sandhu.

In the next over, Bates got another reprieve as she was dropped by Nashra off the bowling of Omaima Sohail.

Finally, Nashra struck to give Pakistan first success by getting rid of Plimmer. She had Plimmer caught by Fatima. She hit two boundaries during her stay at the crease.

Soon after the departure of Plimmer, Nashra struck again to send back Bates to the Pavillion. Bates, who was dropped twice, smacked a quick-fire 29-ball 28 with the help of three hits to the fence.

After picking up two wickets in quick succession, Pakistan got their foot back into the game. They could have heaped more misery on New Zealand had they taken the two catches earlier in the innings.

Amelia Kerr became the victim of Omaima Sohail as she holed out to Sana, New Zealand lost three wickets with in a span of 18 runs.

Pakistan seemed to be getting grip on the game with three dismissals in quick succession.

But, Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday shared a 38-run stand for the fourth wicket to anchor the innings.

They were also facilitated by the leethargic fielders of Pakistan, who seemed to be in a race to make a world record of dropping the most catches in a match.

Devine got as many as three reprieve during her stint at the crease. She was dropped twice and survived a run out chance once.

Amin dropped a Devine off Nida when she was on 14, before Sana Iqbal missed a run out chance with a wayward throw when the batter was miles away from the crease.

Nashra broke the dangerous-looking partnership by getting Halliday stumped before Iqbal got rid of Devine as New Zealand were reduced to 96/5 from 95/3.

The most hilarious over turned out be the last over of the New Zealand innings as Sana put down two chances and Omaima also followed the footstep of the skipper and gave one reprieve to Green as New Zealand piled up 110/6.

They dropped as many as eight catches through out the innings. Three catches were dropped in the last over only, out of which two were dropped  by skipper Sana.

Had Pakistan not dropped those catches, but they would have restricted New Zealand to half the total.

After New Zealand posted 110, Pakistan had to chase down the target in 10.4 overs to qualify for the semis.