KARACHI: Pakistan thrashed South Africa by eight wickets here at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday to register a consolation victory in the third and final women’s One-day International.

Beaten in the first two matches, the Nida Dar-led Pakistan dismissed the visitors for a paltry 185 before chasing down the target comfortably with 12 overs to spare, thanks to a 110-run partnership between veterans Sidra Ameen and Bismah Maroof.

After Pakistan had lost opener Sadaf Shamas early, Sidra plundered the South African bowlers for 68 off 82, a knock that included six fours.

Bismah, on the other end, hit an unbeaten 60 runs off 98 balls with the help of five boundaries.

Sidra was dimissed by Nadine de Klerk with Pakistan at 149 in the 33rd over but the incoming Aliya Riaz finished the match with a 14-ball 19 (four fours).

It was a joint effort by the Pakistan bowlers that had made the chase so easy for the batters as Sadia Iqbal, Nashra Sandhu and Nida picked up two wickets apiece.

Diana Baig, Waheeda Akhtar and Aliya chipped in with a scalp each.

South Africa kept losing wickets at regular intervals, with their first loss coming in form of their captain Laura Wolvaardt’s castling by Sadia on the fourth ball of the match.

Wolvaardt’s opening partner Tazmin Brits (32 off 31) was the next to follow as Diana took a stunning catch off her own bowling in the eighth over.

Nida joined the part with Sune Luus’ dimissal in the 16th before Nashra made Lara Goodall her first wicket in the very next over.

South Africa wouldn’t have been able to manage the score they did had it not been for a 37-run partnership between Marizanne Kapp (21 off 41) and de Klerk (60 off 95) and the latter’s 37-run stand with Delmi Tucker (25 off 28) after Kapp was undone by Sadia.

After Tucket was stumped off a Sandhu delivery, the remaining South African wickets fell quickly as they fell way short of a target that could challenge Pakistan.

Scores in brief:

SOUTH AFRICA 185 in 48.1 overs (Nadine de Klerk 60, Tazmin Brits 32; Nida Dar 2-31); PAKISTAN 186-2 in 38 overs (Sidra Ameen 68, Bismah Maroof 60 not out; Ayabonga Khaka 1-27)

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2023