Yousuf five-for demolishes Ireland's chase

By: Mushtaq ahmad on 23:26

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Pakistan Women 248 (Javeria 81, Abidi 50, Delany 3-54) beat Ireland Women 159 (Joyce 49, Yousuf 5-35) by 89 runs
Scorecard

Left-arm spinner Sadia Yousuf's five-wicket haul demolished Ireland Women's chase and helped Pakistan Women complete a 89-run win to take the one-day series 2-0.

Chasing 249, Ireland suffered an early loss but an 84-run partnership between opener Clare Shillington andCecelia Joyce kept the innings going. Yousuf got the big breakthrough for Pakistan when she had Shillington caught behind for a steady 39 in the 19th over, bringing an end to the only substantial partnership in the Irish innings. Yousuf struck again to dismiss Joyce for 49 in the 21st over and Ireland's chase seemed to lose steam thereon, as they kept losing wickets regularly. Having dismissed three of Ireland's top-order batsmen, the left-arm spinner came back to clean up the tail and the Irish innings folded for 159, 89 runs short of the target.

Pakistan, who chose to bat, followed a similar trajectory in their innings. The openers began steadily, adding 49 runs, before a 94-run partnership between Javeria Khan and Nain Abidi built a solid platform for Pakistan to attack in the last 10 overs. Abidi fell for a 69-ball 50, while Javeria scored 81 off 105 balls with eight fours. In-form batsman Bismah Maroof hit a few attacking shots and looked good to take Pakistan to a big score. However, the side managed to lose their last five wickets in the last three overs, and three of those wickets fell to run-outs. From the relative strength of 237 for 5, the Pakistan innings ended on 248, with Bismah the last batsman out.

The win caps off a successful series for Pakistan ahead of their Women's T20 World Cup qualifiers against Thailand, Zimbabwe and Netherlands, which will be played on on July 23, 25 and 27.