Birmingham, June 16: Edgbaston hosts a high-stakes Group A fixture on Wednesday as Pakistan take on South Africa, with both sides looking to recover from bruising opening-round defeats and keep their semifinal hopes alive.
Neither side found answers in their tournament opener. Pakistan were swept aside by India, while South Africa were comprehensively beaten by Australia, leaving both searching for an immediate response in Birmingham.
Batting remains the biggest concern. Pakistan managed only 106 in reply to India’s imposing total, with Muneeba Ali’s 41 accounting for much of the resistance. South Africa fared little better, posting 107, as Laura Wolvaardt’s 44 and Nadine de Klerk’s 25 proved insufficient against relentless Australian pressure.
A recurring theme in both defeats was the inability to handle spin. Deepti Sharma’s career-best five-wicket haul exposed Pakistan’s fragile middle order, while Australia’s quartet of Sophie Molineux, Alana King, Georgia Wareham and Ashleigh Gardner overwhelmed South Africa.
Wednesday’s contest is unlikely to offer any respite. Pakistan possess two of the world’s leading spinners in Sadia Iqbal and Nashra Sandhu, while South Africa’s attack is spearheaded by Nonkululeko Mlaba.
How each batting lineup negotiates the middle overs could determine the result. (IANS)
Match starts 11 PM IST
