The Boland Park in Paarl hosted two Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 matches on Sunday (February 19). In the first game, West Indies managed to hold their nerves and beat Pakistan by three runs, while New Zealand thrashed Sri Lanka by 102 runs in the second clash.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first in the opening match of the double-header, West Indies got off to a steady start but soon started losing wickets at regular intervals and could only manage to put up a total of 116-6 in their allotted 20 overs. Rashada Williams top-scored for the Women in Maroon with 30 off 34 balls. Meanwhile, Nida Dar was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan as she picked up two wickets and gave away 13 runs.
In reply, Pakistan lost both their openers with just 15 runs on the board. However, Aliya Riaz (29) and Nida (27) steadied the ship for the Women in Green with a solid partnership. But just when it seemed like Pakistan was on course for victory, they lost a few quick wickets and fell three runs short of the target.
Chinelle Henry was the star for West Indies with the ball, picking up five wickets for just 23 runs. Captain Hayley Matthews also chipped in with two wickets for 14 runs and helped her team held their nerve in the final over to register a thrilling win.
West Indies beat Pakistan in a last over thriller. #T20WorldCup #PAKvWI Scorecard: https://t.co/SMgpOTADZz #CricketTwitter #WomenCricket pic.twitter.com/3wFASlu2M7
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) February 20, 2023
On the other hand, in the second encounter of the day, New Zealand put on a dominant performance against Sri Lanka, winning by a massive 102 runs.
After electing to bat first, New Zealand got off to a flying start, with Amelia Kerr and Suzie Bates smashing brilliant half-centuries. While Kerr made a solid 66 off 48 balls, Bates scored 56 off 49 balls. The White Ferns continued to pile on the runs and finished their innings on a formidable total of 162-3 in their allotted 20 overs. Achini Kulasuriya and Inoka Ranaweera picked up a wicket each for Sri Lanka.
In reply, Sri Lanka got off to a poor start. Things only got worse for them, as they kept losing scalps at regular intervals and failed to build any meaningful partnerships. The Sri Lankan batters struggled to cope with the New Zealand bowlers, who bowled with great accuracy and picked up wickets at crucial moments. Chamari Athapaththu was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, making 19 off 21 balls.
Kerr and Lea Tahuhu claimed two scalps each for New Zealand, while the rest of the bowlers chipped in with one wicket apiece. Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for just 60 runs in 15.5 overs, giving New Zealand a massive victory of 102 runs.
New Zealand thrash Sri Lanka by 102 runs. #T20WorldCup #NZvSL Scorecard: https://t.co/iTZZq81tM9 #CricketTwitter #WomenCricket pic.twitter.com/5VnYMdPQ9O
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) February 20, 2023
