Bismah Maroof and Sidra Ameen ensured Pakistan aced their chase against Bangladesh, beating them by nine wickets with over three overs to spare in Delhi. The second-wicket pair added 99 runs in their unbroken partnership, Pakistan's highest in World T20s for any wicket and best for the second wicket in T20Is.
Ameen made 53 off 48 balls while Maroof struck five fours in her 43 after coming to bat at No. 3. They ensured Pakistan remained in contention for the knockouts. On four points from three games, they have a match against England in hand; a win in that game will put them directly in the semis should West Indies lose their final game to India; if both Pakistan and West Indies win, it will be a three-way tie with England on six points and come down to net run rate. Even if Pakistan lose their final group game, they might still go through if West Indies are defeated by a big enough margin on their last group game. As of now, West Indies' NRR is better than Pakistan's.
Bangladesh bowed out of the competition having lost four out of four group matches. They have a lot to improve on overall in their cricket, but this evening in Delhi they managed an early breakthrough in their defence of 113, Salma Khatun removing Nahida Khan in the second over after she struck her for two fours. But Ameen, who started off with a beautiful pull shot off the Bangladesh captain Jahanara Alam, hardly put a foot wrong.
The boundaries did not come often for her and Maroof, but the pair was steady and Ameen broke a dearth of big shots with two consecutive fours in the tenth over that brought the required rate plummeting down to below five. Maroof smashed her five boundaries between the 12th and 15th overs, including three on the trot between long-on and midwicket off Rumana Ahmed.
In the field, Pakistan were at times clumsy but still effected four run-outs - a couple of these were due to wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz's great collection around the stumps. Bangladesh, though, reached their second highest score batting first in T20s - 113 for 9 in 20 overs. Fargana Hoque top scored with 36 off 37 balls with two fours that came through a smack to midwicket and a heave over long-on.
She shared a 43-run third wicket stand with opener Sharmin Akhter, who made 19 off 34 balls. The pair batted for 9.1 overs, ensuring Bangladesh got past the 50-run mark. But once Sharmin fell in the 14th over, through a soft dismissal when she swept Sana Mir to Nida Dar at short fine leg, Pakistan took control.
Nigar Sultana was run out for a duck while attempting a second run in the following over before Anam Amin had Rumana play on to give her second wicket in the 16th over. Fahima Khatun and Fargana were Bangladesh's second and third run-out victims, before Lata Mondal smacked the slow legspin of Maroof for two consecutive fours in the penultimate over. In the end, that proved to be not near enough to overcome Pakistan.
(espncricinfo)
