Mount Maunganui, New Zealand: Australia underlined their status as Women’s Cricket World Cup favourites on Tuesday with a convincing seven-wicket win over Pakistan in Mount Maunganui.
In-form opening batter Alyssa Healy led the way for the six-time champions with 72 off 79 balls, supported by 35 from skipper Meg Lanning and 34 from Rachel Haynes.
Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof scored 78 as her team made 190-6 after losing the toss and being put into bat.
Despite a much-improved performance on their first-round loss to India, Pakistan paid the price for a sluggish run rate.
Allrounder Aliya Riaz made a creditable 53 but it came off 109 balls, while Australia’s top order scored at almost a run a ball.
The result puts Australia top of the tournament’s eight-team leaderboard but leaves Pakistan bottom with a struggle to make the final four after two losses.
“Everyone’s in really good form, we all got starts and I guess we’re all feeling in good nick,” Lanning said.
“Pakistan did extremely well and made it hard for us to take wickets so we were disciplined and kept that run rate in check.”
Pakistan’s total never looked enough against Australia’s formidable big hitters, who overhauled the target with 15.2 overs to spare, finishing on 193-3.
Maroof said Pakistan were unable to exert pressure in the field.
“We could have stopped them, they gave us chances but we didn’t capitalise,” she said.
“In fielding we could have done much better.”
Defeat left Pakistan without a win against Australia in 13 ODI matches.
Pakistan face South Africa on Friday while Australia’s next challenge is against hosts New Zealand on Sunday.
NZ CRUISE TO 9-WICKET WIN
On Monday, New Zealand cruised to a nine-wicket win over Bangladesh in a rain-affected match to put their campaign back on track.
The New Zealanders, who suffered a shock loss to the West Indies in their opening match, looked totally in control in a fixture where the innings were reduced to 27 overs due to heavy rain.
Set a target of 141, they finished on 144-1 with seven overs to spare as Suzie Bates smashed 79 off 69 balls and Amelia Kerr made 47 off 37.
Captain Sophie Devine said New Zealand needed to “move on quickly” from the West Indies defeat but admitted she feared the match against Bangladesh would be washed out, in a potentially disastrous blow to their hopes of making the knockouts.
“We know that this competition’s going to be tight so we’re certainly happy we managed to get a win,” she said. — AFP
BRIEF SCORES
PAK vs AUS
Pakistan 190-6 in 50 overs (B Maroof 78 not out, A Riaz 53; A King 2-24) lost to Australia 193-3 in 34.4 overs (A Healy 72, M Lanning 35, R Haynes 34; O Sohail 2-39).
BANG vs NZ
Bangladesh 140-8 in 27 overs (F Hoque 52, S Sultana 33; A Satterthwaite 3-25) lost to New Zealand 144-1 in 20 overs (S Bates 79, A Kerr 47)