English spin twins Sarah Glenn and Sophie Ecclestone inspired England to win a 42-race win over Pakistan as their semi-finals at the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup intensified.
Heather Knight (62) and Nat Sciver (36) continued their good form when England scored 158/7, enough to score two wins and close the gap with South Africa in Group B. Glenn (3/15) and Ecclestone (2/12) exercised relentless control over the Pakistani chase when Bismah Maroof’s team failed to substantiate their opening win over West Indies.
Diana Baig, who had terrorized the West Indies, found early movement again when Pakistan chose the field and imprisoned Amy Jones (2) before the opener’s unsuccessful review.
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Wyatt showed three-form shades in front of an Aiman Anwar. Sciver crashed three fours to bring the result from four to 40/1, but Wyatt (16) struck an Aiman delivery and offered Muneeba Ali a catch.
Knight and Sciver, fresh from a record high against Thailand, looked together at home and the skipper took 10 from an Aliya Riaz to keep things going. When England reached 74 for two halfway, it looked good before a moment of wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz Sciver’s brilliance stumbled far away to turn the tide.
Fran Wilson stayed six overs with her captain, Knight showed her increasing range with cover and mid-wicket power, and Wilson brought out the sweep. Pakistan missed the chances on the field, Omaima Sohail dropped Knight at the border and returned the catches missed by Aiman and Diana.
Knight long cleared a six in the penultimate game, but the gates fell late when she was released alongside Tammy Beaumont (6) and Katherine Brunt (0).
Dominant from England with bat and ball 💪
— ICC (@ICC) February 28, 2020
They keep up their winning ways with a 42-run victory over Pakistan. #ENGvPAK | #T20WorldCup
📝 https://t.co/6V73GP7eYM pic.twitter.com/u1orWdlBe4
England joined the dots at the start of the chase in Pakistan and when teenager Muneeba Ali tried to break the bonds, she misjudged an Anya Shrubsole cutter and was bowled over.
Javeria Khan was also slowly out of the blocks, but liked Sciver’s medium pace and hit consecutive offside limits in a series of point balls.
Pakistani captain Bismah Maroof (4) was unable to repeat her hand against the West Indies. She formed the ramp and offered goalkeeper Jones a tame catch.
Glenn then got to work and came back after being beaten by Javeria (16) for four to get the season off to a good start before settling Iram Javed (4) on a beautifully flown ball. Ecclestone and Glenn proved powerful in tandem, and the left earned the reward for relentless accuracy with the key wicket from Nida Dar, Lot for £ 5.
Knight brought the pace back on the ball and that was a perfect fit for Aliya Riaz, who put Sciver over long-on for six and then took Brunt for two bounds. But it wasn’t long before Ecclestone bowled Sidra Nawaz (6). Aliya was thrown to 41 when she tried another slog, and Shrubsole took her 100th T20I wicket by releasing Diana, who was caught and bowled.
Brunt then took the 10th and final wicket by overtaking Sadia Iqbal lbw in the last.
