By Ian Omoro
New Zealand defeated Pakistan in their last group game, advancing to the Women's T20 World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2016. Batting first, they were only able to finish on 110 for 6. To advance to the semi-finals, India needed Pakistan to beat New Zealand. Pakistan needed to score within 11.3 overs to advance to the final four, defeating India and New Zealand. To do so, they were bowled out for 56 runs, their lowest all-out total in T20 World Cups.
Nashra Sandhu spearheaded Pakistan's attack with the ball, taking three wickets to end New Zealand's score. But Amelia Kerr responded with three of her own, following Eden Carson's strikes upfront. New Zealand made a spectacular comeback after entering the competition on the heels of a record ten-match losing steak.
Nida Dar's first over, the fifth of the game, hinted at her fortunes for the day. Bates attempted a reverse lap on Dar's second ball, but it deflected to the wicketkeeper. But Muneeba Ali was unable to hang on. Dar's bowling alone resulted in five squandered chances for Pakistan. In the sixth over, Bates pushed Sohail straight to midwicket, but Sandhu couldn't hang on. Plimmer had survived a run-out attempt at the previous ball.
Skipper Fatima Sana, who returned to the team after a brief visit to Pakistan following her father's death, played a lone hand, scoring 21 in a lost cause.
"We were good with the ball but we have to improve our batting and fielding. We were not up to the mark. I think our seniors should step up in these kinds of matches," Sana said reflecting on Pakistan's eight catches.
Pakistan paid the price for careless fielding when Sidra Amin dropped a sitter from Nida Dar with Sophie Devine on 14 runs.
Having broken free from a highly emotional White Ferns celebratory huddle, Devine said, “The belief is huge at the moment, so we will celebrate tonight and enjoy that and spend some quality time together as a group. But we know that the job's only half done. This is just the next stage of a tournament we are looking forward to."
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