Rejuvenated Pakistan secure 57-run victory by Cricketarchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	Pakistan Women v Sri Lanka Women
Player:	Qanita Jalil, LE Kaushalya, Sana Mir, HASD Siriwardene
Event:	ICC Women's World Cup 2008/09

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DateLine: 13th March 2009

 

Pakistan bounced back from the defeat to India by beating Sri Lanka in their second match at Canberra's Manuka Oval. Sri Lanka kept tabs on Pakistan after they elected to bat, restricting them to 161, but were rocked in their chase by new-ball bowler Qanita Jalil. Shashikala Siriwardene propped up Sri Lanka's sloppy chase with 58 but the slew of wickets all around her eventually told, and once she was dismissed the end was swift. It was Pakistan's first-ever victory over Sri Lanka in 19 ODIs and also its maiden win in the World Cup after six straight defeats.

 

Jalil took the first three wickets to fall, leaving Sri Lanka in trouble in the seventh over. A run-out and a wicket to Asmavia Iqbal made it 47 for 5, after which Siriwardene and the wicketkeeper Dilani Manodara (9 from 56 balls) started a slow fightback. But then Manodara was run out at 91 for 6, Sana Mir quickly snuffed out two wickets, and Siriwardene was run out. Sri Lanka's last five wickets had fallen for just 13 runs.

 

When Pakistan decided to bat, they were give a steady opening partnership of 47. Bismah Maroof was dismissed by Eshani Kaushalya in the 13th over, and the bowler also accounted for the other opener Nain Abibi, whose 26 from 51 balls was the highest score of the innings. Suwini de Alwis turned in a tidy outing, netting 2 for 19 from her ten overs, and it took an unbeaten 22 from Mir and a 20-ball 19 from Jalil to lift the scoring.

 

Pakistan are third in the Group B points table and Sri Lanka are winless after two games.