All-round Australia Kickstart WWT20 Campaign With Crushing 52-run Win Over Pakistan

Cricketnext Staff | Updated: November 10, 2018, 9:59 AM IST

Clinical 40s by the top three batters backed up by an all-round display from the bowlers helped Australia trounce Pakistan by 52 runs in Match 2 of the ICC Women's World T20 on Friday (November 9).

Batting first on a dry surface at Providence Stadium in Guyana, Australia posted a strong 165/5 in their 20 overs. The bowlers, then led by Megan Schutt's economical spell upfront saw Pakistan restricted to only 113/8 in their allotted overs.

Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney got Australia off to a rollicking start with a 72-run stand for the opening wicket in just 8 overs.

Healy, who has been in impeccable form of late, was the aggressor as she smashed 8 fours and a six in her 29-ball 48 before becoming Aliya Riaz's first victim of the day.

Skipper Meg Lanning walked in at No.3 and ensured none of the momentum was lost as she went about finding gaps and rotating the strike efficiently. She stitched a 36-run stand for the second wicket with Mooney who looked set for a half-century but like her opening partner gave it away falling for a 39-ball 48 to left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu.

Lanning's 34-ball 41 which was studded with three fours and a six along with useful contributions from the lower order helped Australia post a formidable total.

Schutt then got Australia's defence off to the perfect start by castling opener Ayesha Zafar for two. Umaima Sohail, batting at No. 3 scored a brisk 11-ball 20 and it seemed like Pakistan might make a game of it while she was out there. But, once she fell to a spectacular run out by the combination of Delissa Kimmince and Healy, the floodgates opened.

There was significant turn on offer for the spinners as Pakistan slipped from 64/3 to 78/7 in a space of 21 balls with none of the experienced batters in Nahida Khan (9), captain Javeria Khan (9) and Bismah Maroof (26) making much of a contribution.

For Australia Schutt returned figures of 2/13 in 4 overs while leg-spinner Georgia Wareham also picked up two wickets.