Ireland women edge past Pakistan by 11 runs in T20I opener

DUBLIN: Ireland women defeated Pakistan women team by 11 runs in the opening match of their three-game Twenty20 International (T20I) series at Clontarf Cricket Club Ground on Wednesday.

Batting first, Ireland set a target of 142 runs in 19.2 overs. Amy Hunter scored the highest at 37 runs off 30 balls, while Orla Prendergast and Leah Paul added 29 runs each.

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Despite a strong foundation the Ireland women team suffered a late collapse as they lost wickets in quick succession to Pakistan bowlers during the final stages.

Pakistan responded with 131 runs for 9 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Natalia Pervaiz was the standout batter for Pakistan as she scored 39 runs off 23 balls.

Rameen Shamim followed closely behind with 27 off 20. However, other batters failed to leave a mark, with Sidra Amin limping to 15 and Aliya Riaz to 14. Captain Faitma Sana contributed a mere 14.

The Irish bowler put up a strong and consistent front throughout the innings.

Jane Maguire claimed 2 wickets off 18 runs, while Ava Canning, Cara Murray and Lara McBride each chipping in with one wicket apiece.

Predergast’s all-round performance stood out, as she took 3 wickets for 28 runs. She also proved herself with the bat, earning her the Player of the Match award.

Pakistan women captain impressed with the ball, but failed to curb the Irish batters’ onslaught. She took 4 wickets while yielding 24 runs in her four overs.

Sadia Iqbal, Nashra Sandhu, Rameen Shamim and Diana Baig also picked up one wicket each.

The opening match marked Ireland’s first T20I home series of the year, coming after a 3-0 series sweep against Zimbabwe in July. They also enjoyed a similar sweep against Bangladesh in December last year.

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Meanwhile, Pakistan entered the series ranked eighth in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings. The Women in Green are aiming to bounce back in the upcoming matches.

The second T20I is scheduled for Friday at the same venue in Dublin, Ireland.