Pakistan suffered their second defeat of the ACC Under-19 Women’s T20 Asia Cup at the hands of Nepal on Monday.
Pakistan batted first and made 104 runs in 20 overs. The women in green got off to a rough start, losing their first wicket in the first over. Nepal’s Puja Mahato would send off opener Fizza Fiaz for a duck on a delivery that struck her on the pads for an lbw. Ravail Farhan would replace her, and she would score 13 runs before being dismissed in the sixth over. Farhan would hit a delivery from Riya Sharma to Mahato who took the catch.
Things would go from bad to worse for Pakistan, as they lost their third wicket in the very next over. Areesha Ansari would be bowled by Rachana Choudhary on the fourth ball she faced after only making a single run.
With Pakistan in dire need of some stability, Komal Khan and Maham Anees took charge of the match. Together, they made the largest partnership of the match, scoring 41 runs off 50 deliveries, before Seemana KC put an end to it in the 15th over. Komal made 38 runs off 43 delivieres, before she was caught out by Krishma Gurung on a delivery from Seemana.
Pakistan skipper Zoofishan Ayyaz would join Maham, and together they would put on a partnership of 30 runs off 29 balls. Ayyaz would be dismissed in the final over on a delivery from Mahato that was eventually caught by Seemana.
After Nepal made 23 runs, Fatima would get the first breakthrough for Pakistan in the fifth over by bowling Sabitri Dhami. Nepal would then suffer a couple setbacks due to some poor running. Sana Praveen and Sony Pakhrin would be run out in the seventh and 12th over respectively.
But, that didn’t stop Nepal from trudging forward. They suffered one more wicket, with Jyotsnika Marasini being sent off for a duck in the 14th over after she was caught out by Komal on a delivery from Quratulain Ahsen.
Puja Mahato would lead Nepal to their first vicvtory of the ACC Women’s U19 Asia Cup, scoring 47 runs off 47 deliveries.
