KUAL LUMPUR, Jan 24: Pakistan and Nepal were hardly tested on way to winning their fourth-place play-off matches in the ICC Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup here on Friday.
Pakistan, riding on young pacer Haniah Ahmer’s four-wicket haul, crushed Samoa by 52 runs while Nepal got the better of Malaysia by seven wickets in a low-scoring match.
Put into bat, Pakistan scored 136/8 with Maham Anees and Fatima Khan scoring 28 and 25 respectively. Norah Salima was the most successful Samoa bowler taking three wickets for 20 runs.
Right-arm pacer Haniah then unsettled the Samoan batters, returning with excellent figures of 4/20, while Quratulain Ahsen (2/13) and Fatima Khan (2/19) were the other wicket-takers as Samoa were all out for 84 in 18.5 overs.
Malaysia were off to an inauspicious start with Nepal striking off the very first ball to dismiss Nur Aliya Binti Mohd Hairun for a duck.
The team could not recover from the early loss and folded up for 45 runs with skipper Puja Mahato (4/9) and Rachana Chaudhary (3/5) emerging as the most successful bowlers.
In reply Nepal reached 47/3 in 11 overs to complete a seven-wicket victory with Mahato scoring 23 runs. Left-arm spinner Suabika Manivannan took all three wickets for Malaysia.On Saturday, the Super Six action will begin with the United States taking on New Zealand, England facing Nigeria and South Africa clashing with and Ireland in Group 2. Australia will play West Indies in Group 1.
India, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Scotland and West Indies are placed in Group 1, while Group 2 comprises South Africa, England, USA, Nigeria, Ireland and New Zealand.
The top two teams from each groups will progress to the semifinals. (PTI)
