A measured 89 from Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof and a nearly flawless effort in the field by the visitors, helped them take a unassailable 2-0 lead in the 3 match ODI series against hosts Sri Lanka, in Dambulla.
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Batting first, the Pakistanis made 250/6, the identical score they posted in the 1st ODI on Tuesday, which they won by 69 runs. Sri Lanka’s performance with the bat was poor once again, with the hosts succumbing to a 95 run loss this time around.
Pakistan got off to a good start with openers Nahida Khan and Muneeba Ali putting on 49 for the 1st wicket, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept a tab on things, not allowing the run rate to go above 3 and a half runs and over.
Sri Lanka clawed their way back into the game, dismissing both openers and when Sripali Weerakkody managed to run the centurion from the last game, Javeria Khan, out, Pakistan were in some trouble at 3/86. They fell further when Sidra Ameen was run-out for the 2nd time in two games but Maroof was unfazed as she put on 91 runs for the 5th wicket alongside Nida Dar, who had made a crucial contribution in the middle in the 1st ODI as well. The Pakistanis worked the field to perfection, dropping and running and turning ones into twos. As the partnerships grew, the fielders’ shoulders, particularly the captain’s, began to drop and the mistakes began to creep in.
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A couple of regulation catches went down too, with Maroof, in particular, benefitting. She fell in the last over, when she skied one to Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Atapattu, but by then Pakistan had already gotten to a very competitive total.
Sri Lanka started their efforts with the ball well, keeping things tight, but as Pakistan’s total grew, the mistakes began to creep in. Sripali Weerakkody picked up two wickets while Ama Kanchana and Inoka Ranaweera picked up one apiece for the hosts.
After their performance on Tuesday, Sri Lanka opted to send in Atapattu to open alongside vice-captain Nipuni Hansika. It made no difference to Sri Lanka’s cause however, as Hansika fell for 5 and Sri Lanka continued to lose wickets at regular intervals. All of Sri Lanka’s hopes were pinned on Atapattu and Siriwardene and they came together in the middle with the scores on 2/34. However, Atapattu fell and Siriwardene followed soon after to leave the hosts tottering on 4/34.
From that point, it was a matter of WHEN Sri Lanka would lose and not IF they would as Pakistan, led by some impressive spin bowling from Sana Mir, Nida Dar and Nashra Sandhu wrapped the innings up for Pakistan.
Sripali Weerakkody and Sugandika Kumari brought some respectability to the Lankan total, frustrating the Pakistanis with a 50 run partnership for the last wicket but they could do nothing to prevent Sri Lanka’s loss as the hosts were eventually bowled out for 156.
