Pakistan successfully launched their Women’s Asia Cup campaign in Dubai with a clinical 35-run victory against Thailand. The Group A fixture saw Pakistan set a target of 119 for 9 before their bowlers dismantled the Thai lineup, restricting them to just 84 for 8 by the conclusion of the 20 overs.
Batting Struggles and Recovery
Choosing to bat first, Pakistan encountered early turbulence as Thipatcha Putthawong claimed the wickets of Shawaal Zulfiqar and Gull Feroza within the opening two overs. Although Ayesha Zafar provided a brief spark with consecutive boundaries, her dismissal left Pakistan at 32/3 by the end of the Powerplay. The innings found stability through a 54-run partnership between Muneeba Ali and Sadaf Shamas, which pushed the score to 60/3 at the midway point.
Middle-Order Pressure and Final Push
The momentum shifted in the 13th over when Suleeporn Laomi dismissed Shamas for 20 and removed captain Fatima Sana for a duck. Muneeba Ali continued to anchor the side, reaching her half-century off 45 deliveries before being stumped for 54 in the 17th over. Laomi concluded her spell with impressive figures of 3 for 14. Late contributions from Umm-e-Hani, who scored 17, and Tuba Hassan, who added 12, helped Pakistan reach a competitive total of 119.
Dominant Bowling Performance
Thailand’s pursuit was hampered immediately by Sadia Iqbal, who delivered a double-wicket maiden in her opening over, dismissing Phannita Maya and Nannapat Koncharoenkai. Thailand struggled to find rhythm, managing only 22 runs during the Powerplay. Nashra Sandhu further tightened the screws by removing Nattakan Chantam, leaving Thailand reeling at 33/3 after ten overs.
Closing the Match
- Captain Naruemol Chaiwai’s difficult 33-ball stay for 17 runs ended in the 13th over at the hands of Tuba Hassan.
- Aphisara Suwanchonrathi and Chanida Sutthiruang attempted to build a late partnership, but Suwanchonrathi became Tuba’s second victim, leaving the score at 65/5.
- When Naomi Hamilton fell to Ayesha, the required run rate became insurmountable, with Thailand needing 50 runs from the final 15 balls.
- The match concluded with Thailand falling well short of the target, marking their second defeat in three tournament outings.
Final scorecard: Pakistan 119/9 (Muneeba Ali 54 off 52; Suleeporn Laomi 3-14, Thipatcha Putthawong 3-18) defeated Thailand 84/8 (Chanida Sutthiruang 25 off 24, Naruemol Chaiwai 17 off 33; Sadia Iqbal 3-11, Tuba Hassan 2-17) by 35 runs. The report also notes that both getting regular boundaries to take Pakistan to 60/3 at the halfway stage of the innings, muneeba Ali then steadied the innings with Sadaf Shamas.
