KARACHI, April 4: ZTBL, HEC, Islamabad and Sialkot on Thursday were off to winning starts in the 8th National Women Cricket Championship which is being simultaneously played in Lahore and Muridke.

In Pool ‘A’ in Lahore, ZTBL beat Lahore Region Women by 206 runs at the Bagh-i-Jinnah Ground. Lahore won the toss and put ZTBL into bat. The bankers’ team, which comprises mostly national team players, then went on to make 304 for five in 50 overs. Bismah Maroof top scored with 80 while Javeria Wadood Khan contributed 69 with Rabia Shah and Nida Dar getting 51 each.

On their turn to bat, Lahore’s batters failed miserably in front of the seasoned bowling attack from their opponents. They could only put on 98 runs in 41.5 overs. Bismah Maroof was declared Player of the Match.

Meanwhile, at the Ittefaq Cricket Ground in Lahore, HEC Women beat Multan Women by 93 runs. The toss was won by HEC, who elected to bat first. Thanks to fine batting by Sidra Amin who made 79 and 56 by Aliya Riaz, HEC were able to put on 249 runs in 50 overs. Multan was no match. They could only score 156 in reply. Sidra Amin was declared Player of the Match.

In Pool ‘B’ at Lahore Country Club, Murdike Ground No 1, Islamabad Women beat PK Boards Women by 72 runs. Meanwhile, at Ground No 2, Sialkot Women Women beat Abbottabad Women by seven wickets.

Following are the summarized scores of all the day’s matches.

POOL ‘A’ ZTBL Women beat Lahore Region Women by 206 runs - ZTBL Women: 304-5 in 50 overs (Bismah Maroof 80, Javeria Khan 69, Rabia Shah 51, Nida Dar 51, Hina Azam 1-34); Lahore Region Women: 98 in 41.5 overs (Mahlaqa Manzoor 17, Maham Rafiq 12, Sadia Yousaf 3-16, Sana Mir 2-20)

HEC Women beat Multan Women by 93 runs - HEC Women 249-6 in 50 overs (Sidra Amin 79, Aliya Riaz 56, Iram Butt 27*, Razia Kalsoom 3-51); Multan Women: 156 in 46.4 overs (Areeba Zafar 75, Nadia Hussain 18, Sukhan Faiz 15, Reema Aman 1-9).

POOL ‘B’ Islamabad Women beat PK Boards by 72 runs - Islamabad Women 152 in 44.5 overs (Uzma Kanwal 44, Diana Baig 17, Seema Bibi 16, Kainat Hafeez 3-34, Anam Amin 2-20); PK Boards women: 80 in 29.2 overs (Mehak Asif 22, Zara Iqbal 14, Diana Baig 3-21, Huma Shafiq 2-6)

Sialkot Women beat Abbottabad Women by seven wickets - Abbottabad Women: 79 in 35.2 overs (Sadia Bibi 20, Sidra Bibi 19, Marrium Butt 3-14, Iqra Ghulam Rasool 3-15, Almas Akram 2-12) ; Sialkot Women: 80-3 in 19.3 overs (Almas Akram 17*, Anam Zahra 17, Asma Sikander 15, Mehnaz Bibi 1-22, Sonia Shabbir 1-30).