In an exciting conclusion to the three-match T20I series, South Africa’s women’s cricket team claimed a 2-1 series victory over Pakistan. The deciding match, held at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Friday, saw both teams put up competitive performances, with South Africa emerging victorious in a thrilling contest.
Pakistan batted first and set a challenging target of 153 runs. Openers Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza gave Pakistan a solid start, but after the powerplay, the hosts lost momentum.
Sidra Amin was the standout performer with the bat, scoring a valuable 37 runs to anchor the innings. Key contributions also came from all-rounder Nida Dar and Fatima Sana, who added crucial runs in the middle order.
Despite these efforts, Pakistan was unable to capitalize fully on their promising start, ending their innings with a total that seemed defendable but not insurmountable.
In response, South Africa’s chase was led by Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch, who formed a critical partnership at the top of the order. Their steady approach laid a strong foundation for the chase, keeping the required run rate in check.
The turning point of the match came when Annerie Dercksen took charge with an aggressive display of batting, steering her team closer to the target. South Africa’s composed performance under pressure paid off as they chased down the target with nine balls to spare, securing a comfortable victory.
The series win is a major confidence boost for South Africa ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, which is scheduled to begin on October 3 in the UAE.
The South African team will be riding high on this success as they look to carry their winning momentum into the tournament. Pakistan, on the other hand, will look to address the inconsistencies in their performances and make the necessary adjustments before the global event.
Both teams will now head to the UAE for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, where they will face stiff competition from the world’s top cricketing nations.
