Nashra stars in Pakistan’s consolation win

By our correspondent
LAHORE: Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu delivered a career-best performance to help the Pakistan women’s cricket team avoid a whitewash by securing a consolation six-wicket win over South Africa in the third and final ODI at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore on Monday.
Despite the win, the visitors clinched the three-match series 2-1.
Lahore-born Nashra returned exceptional figures of 6-26 in nine overs, bundling South Africa out for just 115 runs in 25.1 overs after they opted to bat first. This marked the second-lowest ODI total by South Africa against Pakistan in history.
In response, Pakistan comfortably chased down the target in 31 overs, losing four wickets. Sidra Amin remained unbeaten on 50 while Muneeba Ali contributed a solid 44 to anchor the chase.
It was Nashra’s day with the ball as she consistently troubled the South African batters. During the match she also achieved a major career milestone by claiming her 100th ODI wicket, dismissing Miane Smit (9) to become only the third Pakistani woman to reach the landmark. The other two are Sana Mir (151 wickets in 120 matches) and Nida Dar (108 wickets in 112 matches).
She was well supported by leg-spinner Syeda Aroob Shah, who took 2-16 in 3.5 overs.
South Africa, having made several changes to test their bench strength, struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt was the top scorer with a brisk 28 off 23 balls, including six boundaries. Other contributions came from Masabata Klaas (13 not out), Nadine de Klerk (13), Karabo Meso (12), and Sune Luus and Anneke Bosch, who scored 10 runs each.
Pakistan had a shaky start to their chase, losing Omaima Sohail for a first-ball duck. However, Muneeba Ali and Sidra Amin steadied the innings with a 65-run stand for the second wicket. Muneeba’s fine knock of 44 included six boundaries before she was dismissed by De Klerk. In the same over, De Klerk also removed Fatima Sana (0), who was caught in the deep by Chloe Tryon.
Sidra then stitched together a 38-run stand with Natalia Pervaiz for the fourth wicket before the latter was dismissed by Nonkululeko Mlaba after scoring 14 off 10 balls, including two boundaries.
Sidra went on to finish the match in style with a boundary, bringing up her half-century in the process. Her unbeaten 50 came off 94 balls and included eight fours. She had scored centuries in both of the previous two matches.
Mlaba and De Klerk were the pick of the South African bowlers, taking two wickets apiece.
Nashra Sandhu was named Player of the Match while South Africa’s Tazmin Brits was adjudged Player of the Series.
In the first ODI on September 16, South Africa defeated Pakistan by eight wickets, followed by a 25-run win in the second ODI on September 19.
Pakistan will now travel to Colombo on Tuesday to prepare for their campaign in the ICC Women’s World Cup, starting October 2 against Bangladesh. The tournament is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka with all of Pakistan’s matches scheduled in Colombo.
Meanwhile South Africa will head to Guwahati, India, where they will face England on October 3.
A total of eight teams—Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh will compete for the coveted title. Following a single round-robin league stage, the top four teams will advance to the semi-finals.