Despite Maroof's 78*, Australia's spinners restrict Pakistan to 190 runs.

  • March 8, 2022, 12:16 p.m.

Pakistan's highest stand in ODI World Cups and captain Bismah Maroof's unbeaten 78 headlined their rebuild and led them to 190 for 6 at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. A slow scoring rate with 186 dots in their innings meant Australia's decision to bowl, and play three spinners, stood vindicated on a strip on the wane. Maroof and No. 6 Aliya Riaz breathed life into Pakistan's innings after they were 44 for 4 in under 13 overs.

Pakistan crawled to only 37 for 2 in the spin-less powerplay, though they found a few boundaries early on. A misfield off a cover drive gave opener Nahida Khan, who came in for the injured Javeria Khan, her first four. A second one followed, this time courtesy of a healthy edge that pierced first slip and gully to round out the eight-run second over by Ellyse Perry.

Nahida, however, perished to the wide lone slip in the next over as Megan Schutt's late movement had her reaching out for a wide delivery that warranted being left alone. As Schutt's swing kept Pakistan's top order guessing, Australia stationed a second slip to mount additional pressure. Perry, too, shaped a few away, including the first ball of her second over, having opener Sidra Ameen edge to Meg Lanning at first slip. Schutt's average swing in the powerplay was recorded at an impressive 2.4 degrees and Perry's at 1.9 degrees.

First-change Alana King gave a good account of her legspin right after coming into operation. With an orthodox tossed-up legbreak, she crashed into the middle and leg stumps of Omaima Sohail. As Australia applied the choke, Jess Jonassen and Amanda-Jade Wellington came on soon after. Wellington started off with a wicket-maiden and took out Nida Dar, who offered a dolly to Lanning at first slip.

With little coming by way of runs and wickets falling in quick succession, Maroof tucked one away to the midwicket boundary for her first four and added a second to her tally with a glorious square drive by then. She appeared reluctant to go aerial early on and brought up her 15th ODI half-century, off 96 balls, with a cut off Wellington in the 41st over.

For a player returning to lead her team only six months after childbirth, the celebration of the milestone was fitting: bat on the ground, arms folded, out came the rock-the-baby gesture as Maroof turned towards the dressing room where her mother and daughter acknowledged her effort.

In Riaz, Maroof found a partner to stage the rebuild with. Both batters struck their maiden fifties in ODI World Cups, the first instance of two Pakistani women making half-centuries in a 50-over innings. Riyaz got to hers with a power-packed four to fine leg off Schutt on the 107th ball of her innings, and became the holder of the joint second-most ODI fifties batting at No. 6 or lower. She fell shortly after reaching the milestone, though, and their 189-ball fifth-wicket stand, the highest for Pakistan in ODIs after four down, ended courtesy of Carey, who was one of the two changes Australia rang in on the day.

Pakistan were going at just over three an over by the 45th over before Carey's eighth, the 47th of the innings, aided their efforts. Maroof guided a chest-high no-ball for four over short third man to kick-off the 14-run over. Fatima Sana, the 2021 ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year, did her bit with a 15-ball 14 at No. 7. She perished in the penultimate over as Alyssa Healy snaffled her edge off King. Diana Baig's 7 off four balls and Maroof's cover-driven four off the final ball of the innings helped push Pakistan to 190.

This is the third match on the same strip, and both Maroof and Lanning expected spin to play a major role on the day, celebrated as International Women's Day around the world. Australia bolstered their spin resources in the XI, adding a second wristspinner in Wellington besides King and left-arm spinner Jonassen.

Australia have never lost an ODI against Pakistan, who haven't won a match in 15 straight appearances in 50-over World Cup fixtures. Unless Pakistan's vaunted spin attack comes to the party, Australia's all-win record will remain unsullied.

Author : Rajdhani Delhi Representative

Rajdhani delhi representative

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