Australia on Friday thrashed Pakistan by 9 wickets in the 14th match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The Kangaroos comfortably chased a meager 83-run target for the loss of just one wicket and 54 balls to spare.

Throughout the innings, the side suffered just one loss as Beth Mooney returned to the dugout after scoring 15 off 15 balls, laced with three fours.

After her dismissal, skipper Healy was joined by Perry and the pair kept the scoreboard ticking in an easy chase.

However, the Australian captain was forced to retire hurt in the 10th over due to severe cramps. She remained the top-scorer for Australia with a 23-ball 37, laced up with five fours.

Perry was then joined by Ashleigh Gardner in the middle and the duo made sure to steer Australia to victory. The all-rounder scored an unbeaten 22 off 23 balls, while Gardner made seven not out.

Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal was the sole bowler to grab a wicket.

Earlier, a Fatima Sana-less Pakistan women cricket team posted a modest 83-run target as Australian bowlers overpowered Green Shirts.

Things were in control of the Kangaroos from the get-go as they won the toss and opted to field first.

Such was the mindset of the defending champions on the field that within 10 overs, half of Pakistan’s batting line-up had returned to the pavilion when the scorecard was ticking at just 39 runs.

Pakistan’s stand-in skipper Muneeba Ali fell first after scoring seven off 12 balls against Sophie Molineux.

The Green Shirts crossed the 50-run threshold in the 14th over, leaving little chances for a commendable score.

The side had almost batted for the full 20 overs but on the second last ball of the innings, Pakistan’s last wicket fell at 82 runs.

Pakistan’s Aliya Riaz was their highest-run scorer with 26 runs on 32 balls.

Kangaroos’ Ashleigh Gardner dismissed four of Pakistan’s batters while Annabel Sutherland and Georgia Wareham took two wickets each.

Molineux and Megan Schutt managed to take one scalp each.

Multan: England defeated Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs in the Multan Test series on Friday.

In the match played at the International Cricket Stadium in Multan, Pakistan started their second incomplete innings with 152 runs for 6 out. Salman Ali Agha was at the wicket with 41 runs and Aamir Jamal with 27 runs.

The entire team of Pakistan got out after scoring 220 runs in the second inning. Salman Agha scored 63 runs, Saud Shakeel scored 29 runs, Saeem Ayub got out after scoring 25 runs.

Apart from this, captain Shan Masood 11, Mohammad Rizwan 10 and Babar Azam got out after scoring 5 runs. Opener Abdullah Shafiq returned to the pavilion without scoring any runs. All-rounder Aamir Jamal remained unbeaten with 55 runs while Abrar Ahmed, suffering from fever, did not come to bat.

Yesterday, Pakistan showed a very disappointing performance in the second innings and six players returned to the pavilion for only 82 runs.

Pakistan scored 556 runs in the first innings thanks to the centuries of Shaan Masood, Abdullah Shafiq and Salman Ali Agha, while in reply England scored 823 runs due to Harry Brook’s triple century and Joe Root’s double century in the first innings with seven players out.

It is pertinent to note that the second Test of the series between Pakistan and England will start on Tuesday in Multan, England has a one-zero lead in the three-Test series against Pakistan.

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to add Pakistani former cricketers to the national selection committee as part of its plan to make changes in the body, which will be revealed officially in a later announcement, sources told Geo News on Friday.

According to the sources, the new additions may include former cricketer Aqib Javed, ex-captain Azhar Ali and former International Cricket Council (ICC) umpire and first-class cricketer Aleem Dar.

However, right-handed batter Asad Shafiq will retain his membership of the committee while Hassan Cheema will serve as the data analyst for the selection team.

Meanwhile, Javed will oversee other key matters of committee, the sources revealed.

Additionally, top-order batter Ali is likely to be tasked with youth development chores.

The current selection committee consists of members such as the captain, head coach and five non-voting members, alongside Shafiq. 

The latest development comes two weeks after former cricketer Muhammad Yousuf resigned from his position.

In a statement on X, Yousuf said: “I announce my resignation as a selector for the Pakistan cricket team for ‘personal reasons’. Serving this incredible team has been a profound privilege, and I am proud to have contributed to the growth and success of Pakistan Cricket”.

In regard to this, the new roles of the captain, head coach, and the non-voting five members in the new selection team is yet to be announced by the national board in the forthcoming week. 

Pakistan restarted the game on the final day of the first Test against England at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Friday.

At the end of the fourth day’s play, Salman’s crucial 41* on 49 deliveries and Jamal’s 27* on 48 balls took Pakistan to 152/6. The home team now trails 115 runs behind England’s total of the first innings.

The fifth day commenced with the Men in Green resuming their second innings against the Three Lions.

Previously, initiating the second innings yesterday, Pakistani batters were put into extreme trouble with the English bowlers bamboozling the home side.

Within 20 overs, Pakistan had lost half of their wickets including skipper Shan Masood who could only score 11 runs after his first innings heroics.

The home side landed in severe trouble on the first ball of the inning, as Abdullah Safique was dismissed for a golden duck against veteran Chris Woakes.

Later on, wickets of Babar Azam, Saim Ayub and Mohammad Rizwan toppled in the next few overs, leaving Pakistan at 59/5.

Things somewhat settled for Pakistan while Salman Ali Agha and Saud Shakeel were batting but it again went downhill for Pakistan when Shakeel fell in the 24.2 over.

Earlier, England declared their first innings at a mammoth 823-7 before tea on the fourth day of the opening Test against Pakistan on Thursday for a lead of 267 runs.

Harry Brook notched up a superb 317 with a triple century and Joe Root hit 262 as both batsmen made their highest Test scores on the flat wicket at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

It is worth noting that if Pakistan suffers an innings defeat on the decisive day, it will be first time in the Test history, that a team scoring more than 500 in an innings, have lost in the innings.

In addition, ending up victorious in the innings, but losing the Test, it will be counted as the 19th time overall that a team after scoring more than 500 runs in an innings have lost the match.

Playing XI

Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmad

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir