Women of Pakistan cricket team shone after sweeping Ireland

• Pakistan scores 226 runs despite losing five wickets
• Ghulam Fatima records a haul of five wickets for 84 runs, which is a career high
• Leah Paul and Gaby Lewis of Ireland share the first wicket for 84 runs

Following the Men in Green’s decisive victory in the T20 World Cup semifinal, Pakistan’s women provided the country with more good news on Wednesday as their team’s captain Bismah Maroof, Ghulam Fatima, and Sadaf Shamas led their team to a clean sweep of Ireland in the home ODI series.

At the Gaddafi Stadium, Ireland chose to bat, scoring 225 runs in 49.5 overs. After losing five wickets, Pakistan scored 226 runs in response in 47.1 overs. Pakistan had won both games, the first by 128 runs and the second by 9 wickets. On November 12, 14, and 16, at this location, the two teams will now square off in a three-match T20 International series.

With five wickets for 34 runs in 10 overs, Ghulam Fatima recorded her best bowling performance to date. She was assisted by Nashra Sandhu, who secured two wickets for 40 runs, as well as Umm-e-Hani and Fatima Sana, who each secured one.

A 84-run opening wicket partnership between Leah Paul and Gaby Lewis was achieved. With the wicket of Gaby, Ghulam Fatima ended their partnership in the 22nd over (39). Three of them were fours. Amy Hunter was a superb match for Leah. Before Hunter (41) was pursued by Ghulam, the two had raised the score to 149.

The “risk girl” Leah was Hani’s sole victim in the very next over. Leah got 65 points off of 94 balls, including six boundaries. The visiting squad lost wickets one after another after that, with the captain Laura Denlany (18), Eimear Richardson (28) and Erlene Kelly (10) reaching double digits.

The other three victims of Ghulam were Orla Prendergast (8), Denlany, and Eimear. Mary Waldron and Rachel Delaney’s wickets were upended by Nashra’s two wickets.

Pakistan’s opening pair of Muneeba Ali and Sidra Ameen were dismissed for just 28 runs, giving them a shaky start. But Sadaf hammered the Ireland bowlers to raise the score to 152 runs, earning him the honour of being named player of the match alongside Bismah.

In the 32nd over, Bismah’s wicket helped Rachel Delaney separate the two Pakistan batters, but not before the Pakistan skipper had reached his 19th half-century overall in 122 games and the second of the series. She swung for five fours.