PROVIDENCE – Offspinner Jess Watkin spurred New Zealand to their first win of the ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup via a 54-run victory over Pakistan at the Providence Stadium here Thursday night.
With India’s win over Ireland earlier in the day having eliminated both teams from the knockout stage, the match was of little significance.
Despite this, New Zealand wasted no time in posting their highest score of the tournament, 144 for six in their 20 overs, thanks to solid contributions from its four top order batters.
Watkin with help from legspinner Amelia Kerr then ripped through Pakistan’s middle order to bowl out Pakistan for 90 in 18 overs.
New Zealand’s openers Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates gave their side a perfect start as they added 59 runs with little alarm.
Bates was the first to go for the topscore of 35 and Devine followed soon after for 32 to leave the score 83 for two.
Captain Amy Satterhwaite who made 26 and Katey Martin who contributed a useful 29 then posted 37 runs for the third wicket to help New Zealand maintain its momentum, before they both fell in quick succession.
Maddy Green hit two quick boundaries in smashing nine runs from just three balls to ensure her team got up to their eventual target.
After Leigh Kasperek and Lea Tahuhu struck to get rid of Pakistan’s Ayesha Zafar and Umaima Sohail for eight and one respectively to leave the score 34 for two, Watkin and Kerr began their destruction.
Watkin accounted for the next two wickets of Bismah Maroof (4) and Pakistani captain Javeria Khan for the topscore of 36, while Kerr had Muneeba Ali out for a duck to make the score 58 for five.
The two then teamed up, with Kerr taking a good catch to dismiss the dangerous Nida Dar for 11 off Watkin’s bowling.
Kerr then brought the curtains down on the innings as she sent back Sidra Nawaz and Nashra Sandhu to the dressing room to end the match.
Watkins ended with three wickets for nine runs and Kerr took three for 21.
CMC
Scores:
NEW ZEALAND 144 for six in 20 overs (Suzie Bates 35, Sophie Devine 32, Katey Martin 29, Amy Satterhwaite 26; Aliya Riaz 2-29, Sana Mir 2-35) vs PAKISTAN 90 all out in 18 overs (Javeria Khan 36; Jess Watkin 3-9, Amelia Kerr 3-21). New Zealand won by 54 runs.