KARACHI: Pakistan completed a 3-0 series cleansweep over South Africa after they beat the visitors in the third and final women’s Twenty20 International here at the National Bank Stadium on Monday.

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       The Nida Dar-led side had won the first two matches of the series by five and seven wickets respectively.

       The last match saw the hosts defend 150 runs with the visitors missing out on a consolation win by just six runs.

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       The achievement stands special for Pakistan given that South Africa were runners-up in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in February this year and are ranked two places above Pakistan in the format’s team rankings at number five.

       While Pakistan completed clinical chases to win the first two matches, the third one was about performing with the ball for them. And the bowlers were upto the mark.

       Although South Africa lost just five wickets — Sadia Iqbal and Nashra Sandhu sharing two each for Pakistan — they were left needing seven runs on the last ball of the match, which was just too much for the Proteas.

       The South Africans had got off to a great start with captain and opener Laura Wolvaardt smashing 72 off 54 balls with the help of nine fours.

       The second-best show with the bat for the visitors was that of Nadine de Klerk, who hit 20 off 22, which showed how Wolvaardt effort failed to find support by the other batters, slowing down the chase enough to result in defeat for them.

       Earlier, Sidra Amin and Bismah Maroof scored 39 runs each, while Nida hit five fours and six for a 20-ball 36 as the hosts posted 150-5.

       Scores in brief:

       PAKISTAN 150-5 in 20 overs (Sidra Amin 39, Bismah Maroof 39; Tumi Sekhukhune 2-24); SOUTH AFRICA 144-5 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 72, Nadine de Klerk 20 not out; Nashra Sandhu 2-16)

       Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2023