Megan Schutt guided Australia to easy eight-wicket victory

• Ellyse Perry scores half-century for Australia.
• She dismissed Sana Ayesha Naseem, Omaima Sohail, and Tuba Hassan.
• The slower balls to take her first five-wicket haul.

Megan Schutt guided Australia to an easy eight-wicket victory against Pakistan in the first T20I as they began the last-minute preparations for their T20 World Cup victory in South Africa last month. Ellyse Perry opened the batting and scored a solid half-century for Australia.

Schutt finished with Australia’s third-best numbers, trailing only Molly Strano (5 for 10) and current teammate Jess Jonasssen. She was the fourth bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in T20Is (5 for 12).

Australia easily attained their goal with 38 balls remaining despite the fact that they were facing a 119-ball target. Beth Mooney experienced what was referred regarded as a “niggle,” despite the fact that she was able to keep throughout Pakistan’s innings, thus Perry, who had earlier grabbed 2 for 3 from two overs, opened with captain Meg Lanning.

Sadia Iqbal’s excellent arm ball defeated Lanning, but Perry, who was dropped at number three when Iqbal botched a difficult return catch, continued her prolific WNCL form and quick scoring in India with a self-assured 57 off 40 balls that included a six pulled over wide mid-on against a free hit from Fatima Sana.

Mooney’s outstanding catch down the leg side to dismiss Bismah Maroof gave Schutt his first wicket, albeit Australia needed DRS to establish the glove had actually touched the ball. After a promising beginning, Pakistan lost their way when Sadaf Shamas spooned to mid-on three balls later.

When Schutt came back at the end, she took Sana at cover, top scorer Omaima Sohail, and Tuba Hassan with slower deliveries to secure her first five-wicket haul.

The one shining moment of Australia’s field performance, though, was the amazing return catch made by Alana King off of a powerfully hit drive by Nida Dar. King, who had hardly time to respond, threw out her right hand and even seemed surprised that she was able to cling onto it.

Ayesha Naseem’s third six during a stunning counterattack in King’s final over only slightly hurt her statistics, but King got her comeuppance.

The highlight of Pakistan’s performance was Naseem’s 20-ball innings, in which she displayed a bravery that is not frequently on exhibit. She played a vicious pull off Darcie Brown onto the grass bank at midwicket and blasted Tahlia McGrath into the fig tree over long-on.

Brown’s bad day included two straight no-balls in her first over, and the 34 runs she gave up was the most of her still-early T20 career.

Perry, a player with a different level of expertise, had started Australia’s wicket-taking with a stunning yorker to dismiss Muneeba Ali, ending a brisk opening stand of 27 in 4.2 overs.

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