Sports Bulletin Report
ISLAMABAD: Ireland pulled off a shock win over reigning champions Australia in a topsy-turvy day of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup matches at Stellenbosch University.
Ireland pull off surprise
Orla Prendergast put on a fine all-round display as Ireland chased down 169 runs to defeat Australia by three wickets to head into the World Cup on a high.
The right-arm medium-pacer dismissed opener Beth Mooney for a first-ball duck on her way to figures of two for 19 from her four overs.
Alyssa Healy and Tahlia McGrath then combined for a 135-run stand which ended with McGrath retiring on 56 to give other batters time in the middle, with Healy following suit having reached 62.
Ellyse Perry’s 40 not out from 20 balls steered Australia to 168 for three, which Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis gave Ireland a fast start in chasing down, putting on 39 runs in 3.5 overs.
Lewis’s dismissal brought Prendergast to the crease whose 26 from 15 runs gave Ireland fresh impetus before Laura Delany’s top score of 32 helped to see Ireland home with two balls to spare.
England go two from two
England went undefeated from their two warm-up matches with a five-wicket win over New Zealand.
Players of England and New Zealand shake hands following a warm-up match between England and New Zealand prior to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup South Africa 2023 at Western Province Cricket Club on February 08, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Players of England and New Zealand shake hands following a warm-up match between England and New Zealand prior to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup South Africa 2023 at Western Province Cricket Club on February 08, 2023 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Having been put in to bat, Suzie Bates led New Zealand’s charge with 36 runs from 35 balls, but the veteran struggled to build a partnership after the returning Sophie Devine was dismissed with the White Ferns on 33 for one.
Sophie Ecclestone took three wickets for 19 to limit New Zealand to 114 for nine from their 20 overs, which proved no match for England.
Sophia Dunkley crashed 60 runs from 38 balls to bat through the innings as England chased down their target in 13.5 overs.
Alice Capsey impressed with 28 runs as she continued to prove her fitness after undergoing surgery on her broken collarbone in December.
South Africa head to opener with a win
South Africa will open the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with a win under their belt as they defeated Pakistan by six wickets.
After winning the toss, Aliya Riaz was the star of the show for Pakistan making 48 from 30 balls as her side set hosts South Africa 143 to win.
Ayesha Naseem provided useful runs late on as she scored 21 runs from 12 balls before she was dismissed by Ayabonga Khaka who took two for 23.
Fresh from moving up to second in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s Rankings for T20I Bowlers, Nonkululeko Mlaba took one for 16 from her four overs.
Laura Wolvaardt headlined South Africa’s response making 65 in an 107-run opening partnership with Tazmin Brits.
Brits went on to make 36, before a mini-collapse left South Africa on 116 for four as Anneke Bosch and Sune Luus both fell for three runs.
Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk guided the Proteas home with 10 balls to spare to send South Africa to Newlands in a buoyant mood.
West Indies secure narrow victory
The West Indies defeated Sri Lanka by four wickets with just two balls to spare in a see-sawing low-scoring thriller.
Sri Lanka stuttered on their way to posting 107 all out from their 20 overs, with only Nilakshi Silva able to deliver with the bat.
Silva arrived with Sri Lanka two for 29 after 5.2 overs, scoring 29 off 26 balls to help steer her side to a modest total.
Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kaveesha Dilhari each made 16 but seven scores under double figures, including for captain Chamari Athapaththu, continued to halt their progress.
After taking three for 17 with the ball, captain Hayley Matthews gave the West Indies the perfect batting platform with a fifty before she was run out by some brilliant glovework from Anushka Sanjeewani.
The Windies then slipped to five for 76 before Chinelle Henry steered her side home alongside Afy Fletcher.
Ghosh stars in India’s triumph
Richa Ghosh scored the highest innings of the warm-ups with a fabulous 91 not out from 56 balls crunching three fours and nine sixes to set India up for a 52-run victory over Bangladesh.
The wicket-keeper batter put on 92 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues who made 41 from 27 before being dismissed by Jahanara Alam.
Alam was expensive in her four overs, going for 54 as she faced the brunt of Ghosh’s hitting as India reach 183 for five.
In reply, Bangladesh put up a good fight, thanks in part to captain Nigar Sultana’s 40 from 36 balls, but their tail wagged in the face of fierce bowling from India.
Murshida Khatun had got Bangladesh off on a strong note as she made a run-a-ball 32 before Devika Vaidya took two for 21.
Bangladesh fell 52 runs short in their chase, ending on 131 for eight from their 20 runs but showed improvement from their opening loss to Pakistan.
