Nida Dar’s unbeaten innings of 56 powered Pakistan to a decent total of 137/6 against India at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Friday in the ongoing Asia Cup clash.
Deepti Sharma bowled exceptionally and was the quick of the Indian bowlers as she bagged three wickets giving away just 27 runs. For Pakistan Nida Dar was the highest scorer while Bismah Maroof also contributed with 32 runs in 35 balls. Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof won the toss and opted to bat first in the match. The team made two changes, leaving out Kainat Imtiaz and Diana Baig for left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal and Aiman Anwer.
Pakistan started their innings cautiously with Muneeba Ali and Sidra Ameen looking to push the ball in the gaps and hitting the bad balls to the boundary. The plan worked well for the batters until the fourth over but were jolted by three quick wickets in the next two overs to end the powerplay with 33/3.
The Indian bowlers kept things tight and did not give any freebies to the Pakistani batters creating the pressure which resulted in the three quick wickets.
Pooja Vastrakar dismissed Sidra Ameen in the fourth over to draw first blood as she got rid of the batter for just 11 runs.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur persisted with Deepti Sharma in the powerplays and reaped the benefits of it as the bowler struck twice in the sixth over to push Pakistan on the back foot.
Deepti bowled smartly to dismiss Muneeba Ali as she got the ball to dip and turn to leave the batter stranded when she came down the wicket looking to be more aggressive. Richa Ghosh whipped the bails in a flash to send Ali back with the batter scoring just 17 runs.
Omaima Sohail was caught plumb in front of the wicket to be dismissed for a duck to give Deepti her second wicket in the same over.
Captain Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar then took charge of the innings and steadied the Pakistani innings as the duo stitched together a 76-run partnership off just 58 balls. Nida looked to take the attack to the Indian bowlers while Maroof played second fiddle, which worked well for the Pakistani team. Pakistan’s innings got some much-needed impetus as the team ended with 61/3 at the end of ten overs.
After Dar got her eye in, the batter started hitting boundaries at will changing the momentum of the innings. She kept dancing down the wicket to take the Indian bowlers to the cleaners.
She struck the first six of the inning in the 12th over to Dayalan Hemalatha and hit Vastrakar for two boundaries in the next over unleashing a flurry of shots.
Renuka Singh came back to dismiss the Pakistani captain in the 16th over. The captain looked to be creative and attempted a lap shot but instead holed out to Rajeshwari Gayakwad, ending her innings for 32 runs. Nida Dar continued her onslaught to bring her well-deserved half-century in the 17th over.
Vastrakar claimed her second wicket after she dismissed Ayesha Naseem with a short ball in the 18th over in a quest to up the ante.
