The One-Day phase of the Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament began with a commanding performance by the Dynamites, as they secured a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over the Blasters at the State Bank Ground on Tuesday.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the Blasters suffered an early setback as they lost their first two wickets for a mere run on the board. The team continued to struggle, finding themselves at 25 for four as their batters failed to find their rhythm. In fact, six of their batters were dismissed without contributing any runs to the scoreboard. The only notable contributions came from opener Ayesha Zafar, who scored 37, and Saba Nazir, who added 27 runs to the total.
The Dynamites’ bowlers were in scintillating form, led by leg-spinner Ghulam Fatima, who returned exceptional figures of four for 17 in her eight overs. Seaming all-rounder Aliya Riaz also made a significant impact, taking three wickets for 19 runs in five overs. Fatima’s victims included Ayesha, Aleena Shah, Anam Amin, and Zaib-un-Nisa, while Aliya dismissed Zunaira Shah, Iram Javed, and Saba.
Chasing a modest target of 95, the Dynamites got off to a solid start with captain Sidra Amin and Khadija Chishti forming a formidable opening partnership of 63 runs. Blasters’ bowlers struggled to break through as the duo provided no opportunities for the opposition. Sidra, in particular, showcased her batting prowess, remaining unbeaten on 58 runs off just 55 balls, which included nine boundaries. Bismah Maroof (13 not out off 14) provided valuable support to Sidra as the Dynamites comfortably reached their target in just 16.4 overs.
Ghulam Fatima, who played a pivotal role with her outstanding bowling performance, was named the player of the match for her remarkable figures of four for 17. Her contributions were instrumental in restricting the Blasters to a low total.
Blasters will now look to bounce back as they face the Challengers in their upcoming match on Thursday. They will need to regroup and put in an improved performance to get their campaign back on track.
The opening match of the One-Day phase set the tone for an exciting tournament ahead, with the Dynamites making a strong statement of their intent. As the competition progresses, fans can expect more thrilling encounters and remarkable performances from the talented women cricketers participating in the Pakistan Cup Women’s Cricket Tournament.
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