Pakistan 143 for 8 (Zulfiqar 47, Zafar 26, Kaur 4-19) beat Hong Kong 71 (Chan 30, Sandhu 6-7) by 72 runs
Zulfiqar lives as much as expectations
Zulfiqar made a thumping comeback to the T20I aspect final month in Sri Lanka and it made Pakistan persist along with her on the prime of the order regardless of the return of skilled Gull Feroza, who slid all the way down to one-down. She couldn’t construct on a begin towards India with the wickets tumbling from the opposite finish and the strain mounting. However the right-hander fought by way of on Monday, regardless of the dismissals of skilled batters round her in Muneeba Ali (6 off 7) and Feroza (3 off 4).
Regardless of batting on a difficult floor that performed gradual and gripped, Zulfiqar timed the ball nicely as she struck six boundaries. She hit just a few glowing cowl drives and stitched a glowing partnership of 47 off 34 with Zafar earlier than the latter fell within the tenth over. No Pakistan batter, barring Zafar and Fatima, was in a position to emulate the 21-year-old in an innings which noticed solely 4 batters put up within the double digits.
Joyleen brings pleasure to Hong Kong
Dubai has performed gradual all through this ladies’s Asia Cup and naturally the thought was to benefit from the floor by bowling gradual. Whereas all of the Hong Kong bowlers adopted it, none of them executed it as completely as Joyleen as she hung the ball outdoors the hitting arc of the Pakistan batters who had been determined to put up an enormous complete.
It resulted in Zafar handing a easy catch at level whereas making an attempt to slash laborious at a tossed-up supply outdoors off and Zulfiqar mis-hit a smash down the bottom. She continued with the plan and it introduced her two extra wickets in her final over as Sadaf Shamas holed out to long-on and Eyman Fatima performed throughout a lobbed off-break to be trapped in entrance.
Joyleen completed with career-best figures of 4 for 19, the primary time she took 4 wickets in a T20I.
Pakistan’s bowlers too good for Hong Kong
Hong Kong wanted to overtake the 144-run goal inside 12.3 overs to beat Pakistan within the race to the semi-finals nevertheless it was at all times going to be an uphill process contemplating Pakistan’s sturdy bowling. They could have been subpar with the bat or within the subject this match, however their bowling has been rated extremely.
Sana defeated the defences of Mariko Hill on the finish of the primary over and Sadia Iqbal began the second by trapping Natasha Miles in entrance with an arm ball. From there it was a battle for Hong Kong. Kary Chan struck just a few boundaries as she completed with the very best rating (30 off 47) within the innings.
Nashra Sandhu makes historical past
The left-arm spinner is thought for her immaculate line and size bowling and Hong Kong by no means stood an opportunity towards her. Launched into the assault after the powerplay, as is usually the case along with her, Sandhu returned unbelievable figures of six for seven, the primary time a Pakistan bowler has bagged a six-for in a ladies’s T20I.
Her crazy size ball, which turned away, had Yasmin Daswani in bother. She then bowled Marina Lamplough and had Maryam Bibi caught throughout 4 balls in her subsequent over. She took three wickets in 5 balls in her final over, the primary two approaching consecutive balls. Every dismissal left her with a smile greater than the final.
Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi is a cricket journalist primarily based in Lahore
