ICC Women's World Cup 2022: South Africa beats Pakistan by six runs in last-over thriller

Mount Maunganui: Omaima Sohail’s 65 runs went in vain as South Africa defeated Pakistan by six runs in the last over thriller of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2022 here at the Bay Oval on Friday.

Chasing 224, Pakistan lost its opening wicket after the sixth over as Lizelle Lee took an amazing catch to send Sidra Ameen (12) back to the pavilion. Omaima Sohail scored 65 but Pakistan kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and after 25 overs, the score read 95/3.

Omaima Sohail and Nida Dar and then Dar and Diana Baig raised hopes. But the required run-rate kept on increasing. Sohail and Nida Dar scored 65 and 55 respectively and they kept Pakistan in the game. But after Sohail’s dismissal Pakistan kept on losing wickets and they were reduced to 213/8. Nida Dar (55) and Diana Baig (13) stitched together a stand runs for the team, but Shabnim Ismail’s brilliance in the last over helped South Africa win the thrilling match by six runs.

Earlier, Laura Wolvaardt played a knock of 75runs as South Africa posted 223/9 in the allotted fifty overs. South Africa captain Sune Luus (62) and Chloe Tryon (31) also chipped in with valuable knocks as South Africa posted a total of more than the 220-run mark.

For Pakistan Fatima Sana and Ghulam Fatima scalped three-three wickets respectively and restricted South Africa under 225 runs. Despite their bowlers did well to keep South Africa to 223 but the finishing assault with the bat never came.

Brief Scores: South Africa 223/9 (Laura Wolvaardt 75; Sune Luus 62; Chloe Tryon 31; Trisha Chetty 31); Pakistan 217 all out (Nahida Khan 40; Omaima Sohail 65; Nida Dar 55; Fatima Sana 3-43; Ghulam Fatima 3-52).