Pakistan defeats New Zealand in the ICC Women's Championship to create history
In a historic moment, the Pakistan women's cricket team secured their first-ever One Day International (ODI) victory against New Zealand on Monday, marking a significant achievement on Kiwi soil.
The Green Shirts clinched a notable win in the third ODI at Christchurch's Hagley Oval. In the ongoing series, Pakistan has already emerged victorious in two T20s and one ODI against the White Ferns.
Following today’s triumph, Pakistan has risen to the second spot in the ICC Women’s Championship, accumulating 16 points from 18 matches. Before this game, the Girls in Green were positioned in sixth place.
In the latest encounter, Pakistan triumphed over New Zealand by three runs after a super-over showdown. The Green Shirts set a 12-run target in the super-over, thanks to Aliya Riaz's outstanding performance with the bat. They successfully defended the given target as Sadia Iqbal made it challenging for New Zealand batters, restricting them to eight runs.
Pakistan faced an early setback in their chase of a 252-run target, losing the wickets of Muneeba Ali and Sidra Ameen for just 37 runs in 7.4 overs. Despite the initial challenges, Bismah Maroof and Aliya Riaz's remarkable 101-run partnership brought Pakistan back into the game.
Riaz, falling six runs short of a well-deserved half-century, contributed 44 runs before becoming Jess Kerr's victim. Maroof showcased her batting prowess, scoring 68 runs with five boundaries, and was named the Player of the Match.
Fatima Sana and Natalia Pervaiz's quick innings towards the end took Pakistan close to the target, with Sana scoring 36 off 33 and Natalia posting 26 off 23. In the last over, Pakistan needed eight runs off six balls with just one wicket in hand. Najiha Alvi's valuable contributions at the last wicket helped Pakistan level the game, preventing a whitewash.
In the first innings, a strong batting display by Amelia Kerr and Maddy Green propelled New Zealand to a competitive target of 252 runs. Kerr scored 77 off 87 balls with 10 boundaries, while Green played an unbeaten knock of 65 runs off 69 deliveries. The ODI series, part of the ICC Women’s Championship, concluded 2-1 in favor of the White Ferns. However, the Pakistan women’s team achieved a remarkable feat during the tour by becoming the first Asian side to claim a T20I series victory against the White Ferns, securing a 2-1 series win.
