Pakistani Women Vs Australian Women:Two-time injured Australian cruised to a third-round victory over a much-diminished Pakistani team that scored the fewest runs of the competition.
Australia is now nearly guaranteed to make it into the final four, while Pakistan is virtually eliminated from the running.
Due to her father’s death, Pakistan was missing captain Fatima Sana and veteran seamer Diana Baig, who was forced to leave the pitch after bowling one ball in their tournament opener due to a leg injury.
Pakistan needed more energy and experience of both players. There were two ducks, five single-figure scores,
no partnerships worth more than 19, and only Aliya Riaz, one of their hitters, scored more than 20.
All of it occurred before Tayla Vlaeminck,
Australia’s fastest bowler, had even bowled a ball.
Vlaeminck was playing in her first T20 World Cup match since 2018. In the opening over of the game,
Vlaeminck dislocated her shoulder, falling at a short third while attempting to cut off a boundary. Her ability to play the rest of the tournament is in doubt.
Despite her absence,
Australia continued to make it difficult for Pakistan to get runs.
They struck just four fours in total, found it difficult to break away from the other six bowlers, and finally scored their first boundary of the innings in the ninth over.
Australia had already scored that many runs by the third over of their innings.
Five of them came from Alyssa Healy, who looked certain to lead Australia to victory until she stumbled to finish a second run-off Aroob Shah in the tenth over, forcing her to withdraw hurt.
With a foot injury, Healy cautiously approached the dressing room.
