Proteas Women hit a speedbump in Lahore ahead of ICC World Cup
SA TOUR OF PAKISTAN
Pakistan left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu claimed a career-best 6/26 to skittle the Proteas in Lahore on Monday. Picture: AFP
Image: AFP
The Proteas’ Women’s team have been given a wake-up call ahead of next month’s ICC World Cup after slumping to a six-wicket defeat to Pakistan in the third and final ODI in Lahore on Monday.
Mandla Mashimbyi’s team had already assumed a 2-0 lead prior to the dead-rubber, but would still have wanted to depart for India on a high note.
Instead, the batters collapsed to 115 all out, with the last nine wickets falling for just 65 runs after earlier being comfortably placed at 50/1.
Pakistan’s destroyer-in-chief was left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu, who claimed a career-best 6/26. The left-arm spinner was well supported by fellow leg-spinner Syeda Shah (2/16).
The home team’s chase was rocked early on when opener Omaima Sohail was dismissed for a first-ball duck by Nonkululeko Mlaba, but it was a small stumbling block as Pakistan cruised home with six wickets and 19 overs to spare.
Fellow opener Muneeba Ali set the tone upfront with a fluent 44 off 76 balls (6x4) before Nadine de Klerk struck with successive deliveries to give the Proteas some hope of staging an upset.
But Sidra Amin ensured there would be no further troubles by controlling the run chase with an unbeaten 50 off 94 balls. Amin reached the milestone with a straight drive down the ground, which was also the winning runs.
“Overall the series was wonderful preparation which it was all about. Disappointed about today, but happy to get the series win,” said Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt
Very different wicket today. A lot more turn than the first two games. Probably didn’t adapt well enough with the bat. Maybe we could have spent more time out there. If we had got 180, it could have been a close game.”
Wolvaardt was, however, pleased with the 2-1 series victory leading up to the World Cup. It was the Proteas’ second victory in succession on the road after the series victory in the West Indies.
Opener Tazmin Brits, who sat out Monday’s match along with allrounders Marizanne Kapp and Annerie Dercksen, was named Player of the Series for 272 runs without being dismissed.
“Awesome to see her ( Brits) get those two hundreds. Kappie also getting a 100 and then our bowlers did really well today. So, all in all, great learnings going into the World Cup,” Wolvaardt said.