May 09, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 3, 1429

DAMBULLA, May 8: Off-spinner Javeria Khan returned remarkable figures of six for eight as Pakistan won their first match of the Women’s Asia Cup here on Thursday.

Javeria’s splendid bowling helped Pakistan bowl out Bangladesh for a paltry 72 and win by 38 runs on a day when bowlers dominated.

Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers gave their side a very good chance of beating Pakistan for the second time in the tournament as they restricted them to 110.

Sana Javed was promoted up the order to open along with Bismah Maroof but the two only added four runs before Sana was caught behind off Panna Ghosh in the first over. Panna came back to remove Maroof and captain Urooj Mumtaz in her third and fourth overs and reduced Pakistan to 20 for three.

Things didn’t improve for Pakistan and they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Asmavia Iqbal was their top scorer with 28 and no other batsman scored for more than 20.

Tithy Sarkar, who is Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker in the tournament with eight wickets, picked up three for 29.

But Pakistan’s target turned out to be too big for Bangladesh as eight out of 11 batsmen failed to reach double figures, including three who were dismissed for ducks. Javeria and Urooj shared nine wickets between them to bowl out Bangladesh inside 34 overs. Shathira Jakir was their top scorer with 19 runs.

Pakistan now have five points from five games, one more than Bangladesh, and both sides have a match left on Friday before they head home while leaving hosts Sri Lanka and favourites India to contest Sunday’s final.

Scoreboard

PAKISTAN:

Sana Javed c Irin b Ghosh 4

Bismah Maroof c Irin b Ghosh 1

Sajjida Shah b Sarkar 18

Urooj Mumtaz c Sarkar b Ghosh 1

Tasqeen Qadeer c Ayesha b Salma 5

Nain Abidi run out 5

Javeria Khan c Ghosh b Shathira 18

Batool Fatima c Ghosh b Sarkar 13

Asmavia Iqbal b Salma 28

Qanita Jalil lbw b Sarkar 1

Sadia Yousuf not out 0

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-2, W-12, NB-1) 16

TOTAL (all out, 44.4 overs) 110

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-16, 3-20, 4-31, 5-39, 6-63, 7-67, 8-104, 9-109.

BOWLING: Panna Ghosh 7-0-18-3 (5w); Shamima Akhter 2-0-9-0 (1nb, 2w); Salma Khatun 8.4-4-8-2 (1w); Tithy Sarkar 10-0-29-3 (2w); Rumana Ahmed 10-2-27-0; Shathira Jakir 7-2-16-1 (1w).

BANGLADESH:

Shathira Jakir c Sajjida b Urooj 19

Shukhtara run out 2

Ayesha Akhter b Urooj 12

Panna Ghosh c Urooj b Javeria 2

Salma Khatun lbw b Javeria 2

Chamely Khatun c and b Urooj 0

Rumana Ahmed b Javeria 0

Irin Sultana c Batool b Javeria 0

Shamima Akhter b Javeria 11

Tithy Sarkar st Batool b Javeria 6

Jahanara Alam not out 0

EXTRAS (B-5, W-13) 18

TOTAL (all out, 33.1 overs) 72

FALL OF WKTS: 1-12, 2-41, 3-49, 4-49, 5-53, 6-54, 7-54, 8-55, 9-65.

BOWLING: Asmavia Iqbal 2-0-9-0 (4w); Qanita Jalil 3-0-13-0 ((1w); Sajjida Shah 6-3-7-0 (1w); Sadia Yousuf 4-0-11-0 (3w); Urooj Mumtaz 10-2-19-3 (2w); Javeria Khan 8.1-4-8-6.

RESULT: Pakistan won by 38 runs.—Agencies