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Pakistan claim historic 7-wicket win over White Ferns

a year ago

Pakistan’s women’s cricket team have made history by defeating New Zealand for the first time in a T20 International match – Aliya Riaz chased down the target of 128 in style by sending the winning runs over the boundary, securing a 1-0 series lead in the first of three T20Is.

But when the morning began, it appeared New Zealand’s home summer of cricket could be delayed with the covers on following overnight rainfall around Dunedin. But with a clear forecast ahead, the covers came off as scheduled for play to commence without a hitch.

White Ferns captain Sophie Devine won the toss and elected to bat first, sending out openers Bernadine Bezuidenhout and Suzie Bates in what was a monumental occasion for Bates. In honour of the all-rounder becoming the first White Fern to reach the 300-match milestone, her home ground of University Oval has been officially renamed to Suzie Bates Oval for the two T20I matches it plays host to.

On 13 runs, Bezuidenhout went searching for a big boundary over square leg but was undone by an incredible catch that was destined to fly over Omaima Sohail’s head if the hands weren’t so steady - Fatima Sana picked up the first wicket of the series to bring Kate Anderson to the crease, who lasted for nine balls before being bowled out for Fatima’s second scalp.

Pakistan kept the pressure on with Fatima’s third in a player of the match performance, taking the key wicket of Bates - departing the oval the bears her name on 28 runs off 30 deliveries, the White Ferns suddenly found themselves on 59/3 just before the halfway mark of their innings.

Devine smashed out a short-lived 11, Georgia Plimmer was fooled by a Nida Dar delivery to be stumped on 4, and Hannah Rowe added 14 before being caught out while trying to clear the field for a much-needed boundary.

As the wickets fell around her, Maddy Green looked to anchor the remainder of New Zealand’s innings to set something that could resemble a competitive total on a slow-looking pitch. Green top-scored for the White Ferns on 43 runs off 28 balls, setting a target of 128 for the visitors.

19-year-old Fran Jonas showed her promise early, allowing just a single run in her first over, testing Pakistan’s opening pair of Muneeba Ali and Shawaal Zulfiqar with her left-arm spin – a half chance went begging in her second over, an edge lofting over the gloves of Bezuidenhout.

Struggling to get the required run rate down, Muneeba sent a slower ball from Devine into the Dunedin sky, only to find Eden Carson underneath it for the White Ferns to pick up their first wicket and apply the pressure.

Two fours in the ninth over from Carson’s bowling went some way to elevating that pressure for the Pakistanis, needing 68 from the remaining 60 balls at the halfway stage of their run chase.

Leah Tahuhu was brought back into the bowling attack to see what NZ’s top strike bowler could do to disrupt the visitors, but it was bats of Shawaal and Nida doing the damage instead – 17 off the over, including one six, two fours, plus a wide, brought the required run rate down to less than a run a ball.

But as they brought up their 50-run partnership, the Kiwi skipper struck again, Devine nabbing the double for a well-timed breakthrough – Jess Kerr’s catch dismissing Shawaal on 41, Pakistan captain Nida followed four balls later on 23 after Carson picked up her first wicket of the series.

The run chase got home comfortably in the end - Bismah Maroof and Riaz finishing on 13 and 25 not out respectively for the history-making victory.

Unavailable for the first T20I due to WBBL playing commitments, expect White Ferns all-rounder Melie Kerr to return for Tuesday's match to bolster NZ's options in their bid to level the series.

SENZ will have live coverage of the second T20I between the White Ferns and Pakistan from 12.30pm, first ball set for 1pm. Ball-by-ball commentary will be available on all local frequencies and the SENZ app.

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