Pakistan Men’s Cricket Team is out of the World T20 2016 but the interest of Pakistanis need not end in the tournament as Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team is still in contention and could still qualify for the semifinals if they beat England in their last group match.
Shahid Afridi is definitely the most popular Cricket player of Pakistan but his statement was disliked by some when he asked women to work in the kitchen instead of playing Cricket. Now that statement is working as a motivation for women’s team who have performed better than men’s team.
Pakistan Women’s Team had played first game against 3-time Semifinalist West Indies team and although West Indies had a far better head-to-head record against Pakistan, the women in Green gave a very tough time to Caribbean side. Pakistan was given a target of 104 in 20 overs and they were going strong but their opening batter Javeria Khan got injured. Pakistan lost few wickets in the middle-overs and ended up losing by just 4 runs, as they needed 6 runs off last ball and managed to get just a single.
Pakistan were without their opening batter Javeria Khan in the next game against arch-rivals India but still they managed to win by 2 runs on D/L method. Once again Pakistani bowlers did a great job by restricting the opposition to just 96 runs.
Pakistan was cruising towards the victory but rain halted the proceedings. The Duckworth/Lewis was there to help Pakistan. Men’s Team had lost to India on the same day so win against Indian Women’s team helped as a consolation for the nation.
Pakistan faced Bangladesh next, who were also battling for their survival like their men’s team. Bangladesh was able to score 113 in 20 overs, more than what West Indies and India had managed against Pakistan. But Pakistani batters Sidra Ameen and Bismah Maroof had a partnership of 99 runs, the second highest partnership in Women’s T20 Cricket by Pakistan.
Sidra scored a fifty and Bismah remained unbeaten on 43 as Pakistan won by 9 wickets, but their biggest test is yet to come against England, the 2009 World T20 Champions and 2-time finalists, who have won all 3 matches against West Indies, India and Bangladesh so far.
Pakistan Women’s team have beaten England Women’s Team only once in 6 T20 International matches. Both teams have faced each other twice in World T20 and on both occasions England were victorious. But this time Pakistan team is in a better shape than the past and have got the ability to pull off an upset.
Indian Women and West Indies Women had also come very close to beating England Women so Pakistan also has a chance. English batters had struggled against both of them and Pakistani bowlers are also in form, so Women in Green could win and book their spot in the semifinals of World T20 for the first time.
