Star batter Beth Mooney struck an impressive hundred and led a outstanding Australian fightback together with tailender Alana King to arrange a crushing 107-run win over Pakistan of their ICC World Cup match right here on Wednesday.
Despatched in to bat, defending champions Australia suffered a top-order batting collapse as they had been lowered to 76/7 within the twenty second over with Pakistan spinners, led by Nashra Sandhu (3/37), wrecking havoc.
At one stage, it seemed just like the Australian innings would fold for lower than 150, however Mooney (109 from 114 balls) resurrected their innings together with her fifth ODI hundred and first World Cup ton.
She stitched a file 106 runs for the ninth wicket with King (51 not out off 49 balls) to carry Australia to 221 for 9.
After Mooney and King’s heroics, Australian bowlers, led by Kim Garth (3/14), Annabel Sutherland (2/15) and Megan Schutt (2/25), dismissed Pakistan for 114 in 36.3 overs for his or her second win within the match.
Australia beat New Zealand of their opening match whereas the second sport in opposition to Sri Lanka was deserted because of rain.
For Pakistan, this was their third loss on the trot, after defeats to India and Bangladesh.
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Chasing 222, Pakistan started within the worst doable method as they misplaced 5 wickets for 31 runs by the ninth over with pacers Kim Garth and Megan Schutt snapping three and two wickets respectively. They had been by no means within the run chase in opposition to the skilled Australians and solely 4 Pakistan batters might attain double-digit figures.
Garth made first the breakthrough by dismissing opener Sadaf Shamas (5) within the third over, and from there on, it was a procession for Pakistan batters to the dressing room.
One down Sidra Amin (35) gave a semblance of resistance. She and captain Fatima Sana survived for 4 overs earlier than the latter received out for 11.
With six wickets down for 49 within the thirteenth over, the writing was on the wall for Pakistan. The departure of Sidra within the twenty second over all however ended Pakistan’s chase.
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Earlier, the present belonged to Mooney after Australia’s batting collapse.
Coming to the crease when the rating learn 30 for 2, Mooney noticed wickets tumbling round her. Undeterred, she went about her enterprise with composure and performed one among her most memorable innings.
She hit 11 fours from 114 balls for her 109, and the second greatest Australian batter was No. 10 King.
It was the best stand for the ninth or a decrease wicket in girls’s ODIs. The earlier greatest was 76 between Ashleigh Gardner and Kim Garth of Australia for the ninth wicket in opposition to South Africa in 2024.
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Australia had been 83 for seven on the midway mark and from there, they added 138 runs for the lack of two wickets.
On a gradual and turning pitch, a number of the Australian top-order batters had been responsible of lack of utility and poor shot choice, whilst Pakistan did very effectively in fielding division, taking essential catches with excellent efforts.
Australia misplaced Healy within the seventh over whereas Phoebe Litchfield adopted swimsuit three balls later for a similar rating of 30 as Pakistan made an excellent begin.
Australia’s woes continued because the ball started to show. Sandhu then accounted for the 2 large wickets of Ellyse Perry (5) and Annabel Sutherland (1).
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Ashleigh Gardner, who scored a century in opposition to New Zealand, continued Australian batters’ indiscretion as she chipped a Shamim supply straight to midwicket fielder.
The defending champions had been in dire straits with the scoreboard studying 60 for 5 within the sixteenth over. They misplaced three wickets for the addition of simply 5 runs.
The unbelievable collapse continued with Tahlia McGrath and Georgia Wareham getting out within the area of 5 balls and for the addition of only one run.