Ashish Ranjan
Women’s T20 World Cup 2023: In the past few months, footballers who wear eyeglasses have assumed a prominent role. After Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed and Australia’s Todd Murphy made spectacular Test debuts, Pakistan’s Muneeba Ali made a stir at the Women’s T20 World Cup in Cape Town.
As Pakistan defeated Ireland in their Group 2 match, Muneeba became the first woman to record a T20I century for Pakistan and only the sixth player in T20 World Cup history to do so. She added 101 to the third-wicket partnership with all-rounder Nida Dar as Pakistan posted 165 for 5 at the T20 World Cup, their highest score. This was 70 too many for Ireland, who were bowled out for 95 after being thwarted by spin.
Fluent Muneeba puts on a show
Since her T20I debut in 2016, Muneeba has been heralded as a prodigy, although for a long period she only displayed flashes of her brilliance. On Wednesday, the Pakistani opener dominated the bowling for Ireland and the majority of people who watched her. Her intent, whether in finding boundaries or sprinting between the wickets, was evident to everyone.
Each of Muneeba’s first five overs resulted in a four-run hit. Pakistan had raced to 41 for zero with the southpaw on 30 off 19 at that stage. In the final over of the powerplay, Javeria Khan was run out by Ireland wicketkeeper Mary Waldron’s stunning direct shot. Even though replays were inconclusive as to whether the ball carried, Bismah Maroof was soon called off for being caught at midfield.
Pakistan complete a crushing win 🌟
📝: https://t.co/Nq24hGdqzH#PAKvIRE | #T20WorldCup | #TurnItUp pic.twitter.com/jcGdHM9mVj
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 15, 2023
These dismissals had little impact on Muneeba, who was especially fond of Leah Paul’s left-arm spin. She scored a total of 23 runs off of Paul’s 15 deliveries, utilising her feet to create space and move over the off side when four fielders were stationed deep on the on side. She reached her fifty with 40 balls and then used 26 additional balls to get triple figures. She was out on the final ball of the previous over, but not before scoring 102 runs off 68 balls.
Dar makes her presence felt
Dar played a different role with the bat for a change. Frequently walking out as Pakistan’s saviour, she found herself in the middle in the eighth over with Pakistan 55 for 2 and in a precarious position. But an on-song Muneeba made her job easy, allowing her to take a back seat for a change.
Dar began her innings with a sweep through backward square leg and then hits her 12th ball into cow corner. The majority of the time, though, she rotated the strike, ran well between the wickets, and returned the strike to Muneeba. In the meanwhile, she danced down the pitch to Cara Murray’s leg-spin and blasted a six over wide long-on. In her 28-ball 33, she hit only three boundaries, but she contributed to Pakistan’s first century-run partnership in a T20 World Cup and fourth overall.
Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 updates: Ireland was constrained by turn
Women’s T20 World Cup 2023: At least two of the top three needed to win for Ireland to have a shot at an implausible chase. Gaby Lewis hit Sadia Iqbal’s left-arm spinner for a beautiful shot over mid-off, but she was undone by Dar’s dexterity with the ball. After blasting four through deliveries, Dar slowed one and drew her length slightly back, causing Lewis to go for the drive and inside edge the ball to the wicketkeeper.
Orla Prendergast then smashed several precise boundaries, including a six against Fatima Sana that she smoked over wide long-on by dancing down the pitch. She struck 31 off 21 balls with four fours and a six, but was the first of left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu’s four dismissals.
Sandhu then ripped through the middle order, preventing and removing Eimear Richardson, who had raced to 28 off 17, to end with a career-high four wickets for eighteen. Nine of the ten wickets were taken by Pakistan’s spinners as they opened their tournament account in style.
