Pakistan, meanwhile, rode on half-centuries from Muneeba and Aliya to go to the top of the table
Firdose Moonda11-Apr-2025West Indies survived a major scare against Ireland on their way to their first points of the Women’s World Cup Qualifier. Chasing 182 in a match reduced to 33 overs a side, Ireland were 57 for no loss in the 11th over, then lost 4 for 23 and needed 98 runs from 96 balls with six wickets in hand. The required rate ebbed and flowed as wickets fell, and at nine down, Ireland needed 26 from 23. That became 15 off 12 and eight off the last over, but Hayley Matthews once again had the decisive say and claimed the final wicket to finish with figures of 4 for 24.Ireland will rue their batting effort in the immediate aftermath, but once the dust has settled will know the game was lost in the field, where they dropped six catches and allowed West Indies to post a challenging target. At least in the batting department, West Indies had contributors other than Matthews as they shook off a slow start in the tournament, following defeat to Scotland two days ago, and criticism over the lack of contributions from other senior stars. This time, a pair of 46s from Stafanie Taylor and Chinelle Henry anchored the innings.Related
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Matthews did provide a rapid start. She hit five boundaries in the 18 balls she faced and was on 23 when Orla Prendagast dismissed her in the fifth over, taking a tumbling catch off her own bowling. Qiana Joseph followed in the next over when tried to hit her way out of trouble but skied Jane Maguire straight up for Arlene Kelly to take a simple catch. Joseph had already been dropped once in her short time at the crease.Zaida James could have gone cheaply for 2 but Ava Canning was unable to hold on and James went on to score a composed 36 off 54 balls and shared in an 87-run stand with Taylor, who was put down on 22. Just as the pair were looking settled, Maguire removed both in the same over. Taylor slashed at a wide ball and was caught at extra cover and James was undone by a slower ball and bowled.From there, Ireland could have run through West Indies’ middle order but they gave Henry chances on 1, 11 and 38 and had to content themselves with wickets at the other end. Henry finished unbeaten on 46 off 36 balls and hit the innings’ only six, and both she and West Indies seemed to have left some runs in the middle.That sentiment was confirmed with the way Ireland started. Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter put on 57 for the first wicket inside 11 overs before Matthews made a telling double-strike. She bowled Lewis with the fourth ball of her third over and then gave Prendagast a taste of her own medicine, taking a catch in her follow-through. Hunter was bowled 19 balls later for 48 by Afy Fletcher, and when Leah Paul fed Matthews a chance at slip, Ireland looked done and dusted.Laura Delany and Christina Coulter Reilly steadied them with a 42-run fifth-wicket stand and the game was slipping away from West Indies. Ramharack didn’t let it. She was at point when Delany cut with little control. The ball reached Ramharack at chest height and she held on. That wicket sparked another collapse as Ireland slipped to 146 for 7, but still stayed in the hunt.Matthews brought herself back at the death when Ireland needed 32 runs off 30 balls, and trapped Ava Canning lbw though the Irish No. 9 seemed to suggest she thought the ball was missing leg. A run-out off the next ball left Ireland teetering, and it was Matthews who had the final say when Arlene Kelly slashed her to Henry at long-on and left Ireland seven runs short of a first win over West Indies since 2003.File photo – Muneeba Ali’s 71 set up Pakistan’s successful chase of 187•Asian Cricket Council
In the day’s other match, also reduced (but to 32 overs a side), Pakistan secured a second win to go top of the points table and a step closer to the World Cup. They beat Scotland by six wickets, with eight balls to spare, in a batting display that started nervously and became more assured as it went on.Chasing 187, Pakistan’ were 36 for 2 in the eighth over after both Gull Feroza and Sidra Amin were out stumped, but half-centuries from Muneeba Ali and Aliya Riaz, who put on 93 for the third wicket, steered them towards victory. Muneeba’s passed 50 for just the fourth time in her 45-match career and her innings was crucial to Pakistan’s cause. She was particularly strong on the pull shot, scored at almost a run a ball – she finished with 71 off 72 – and combined well with Aliya. When Chloe Abel had Muneeba caught at mid-wicket trying to clear the inner ring, Scotland’s chances were all but gone. Though Fatima Sana was dismissed cheaply, Aliya (68* off 70) and Sidra Nawaz eased Pakistan to victory.Pakistan will also be fairly pleased with their bowling performance as only Kathryn Bryce and Aisla Lister put any real pressure on them. Sadia Iqbal and Diana Baig made the early breakthroughs and had Scotland in trouble on 17 for 2 before the Bryce sisters shared a 51-run third-wicket stand. After Sarah was dismissed for 21, Kathryn and Lister put on 55 and were separated by Sadia Iqbal, and only then did the captain see fit to bring herself on. Sana bowled from the 24th over and challenged Scotland’s middle and lower order with her yorkers, one of which bowled Megan McColl. Kathryn stood alone and delighted with excellent footwork and confident sweeping before her opposite number dismissed her nine short of a century. Sana picked up 4 for 23 in five overs.Pakistan have now won matches defending what seemed a below par score of 217 against Ireland and chasing what looked a tricky target of 187 in 32 overs against Scotland, and will feel ready for their big match against West Indies on Monday.