LAHORE, Oct 2: India under-21 women’s cricket side completed a 4-0 whitewash of Pakistan by inflicting a crushing 99-run defeat on the hosts in the final match of the tour at Qadhafi Stadium on Sunday.
Fine half-centuries by opener Thirush Kamini (63) and skipper Karuna Jain (59) helped the Indians reach a challenging total of 215 for four in 40 overs.
In reply, the Pakistani women never threatened in chasing the target and managed a lethargic 116 for nine before the overs ran out.
Kamini, the Woman-of-the-Match, hammered 11 fours to score a 96-ball 63. Jain cracked four boundaries while facing 72 balls.
The visitors won the first match by 33 runs, the second by 30 runs and the third by eight wickets. All the matches were played in Lahore.
“It was a fantastic series and we are thankful to the PCB for the hospitality and look forward to more India-Pakistan series,” Jain, who declared the player of the series, said after the match.
“The Pakistan team is inexperienced because they have started recently but I would say they showed improvement with every match,” she added.
“We were looked after very well and the hospitality proved the traditional values and we would always love to come to Pakistan,” the Indian skipper commented.
Pakistan team captain Shamsa Hashmi termed the series the “first big step for her team.”
“This series has given us the courage to take the sport forward and it will help us take on bigger challenges in the future,” said Shamsa, who is also the secretary of the PCB’s women’s wing.
But the actual difference between the teams was the fitness factor since some of the Pakistanis also looked overage with their skipper well over 40.
Scoreboard
INDIA UNDER-21:
Thirush Kamin b Shamsa 63
Sindhu Ashok c Nabila b Sana Mir 16
Savitha Nirala c Urooj b Sana Mir 15
Karuna Jain run out 59
Rumeli Dhar not out 22
Diana David not out 11
EXTRAS (B-8, LB-5, W-15, NB-1) 29
TOTAL (for four wkts, 40 overs) 215
FALL OF WKTS: 1-50, 2-73, 3-156, 4-199.
DID NOT BAT: Anagha Deshpande, Snehal Pradhan, Priti Dimri, Soujanya Nath, Sravanth Naidu.