Aliya Riaz and Sadia Iqbal rule Super Over to give Pakistan consolation win

Sadia Iqbal and Aliya Riaz played the starring roles as Pakistan beat New Zealand in a Super Over after the nail-biting third ODI ended in a tie in Christchurch. With the win, Pakistan denied New Zealand a series whitewash after the first two games had gone the way of the hosts.

Pakistan looked like favourites for large parts of their chase of 252, but a late collapse meant they needed eight runs in the last over with just one wicket in hand.

Lea Tahuhu bowled it, and bowled well, but was unlucky to give away four byes. And, with two needed for a win off the final ball, Najiha Alvi got the ball away to deep backward square and Pakistan levelled the scores.

Riaz, who played an important knock of 44 in Pakistan’s innings, started the Super Over – bowled by Amelia Kerr – with a boundary off the outside edge. Amelia did not concede any more boundaries, but Pakistan still managed to get to 11.

Amelia was then out second ball in New Zealand’s Super Over innings, lifting Iqbal straight to long-off. Sophie Devine hammered the left-arm spinner for a six over midwicket to bring the equation down to four off the last two balls, but skied a catch to long-on off the next delivery.

Earlier, New Zealand had opted to bat, and after losing their openers cheaply, were steadied by 50-plus stands between Devine (29 in 32 balls) and Amelia, and then Amelia and Maddy Green.

After Kerr was bowled by Ghulam Fatima for an 87-ball 77, New Zealand lost a few quick wickets before a 40-run stand between Green (65* in 69) and Jess Kerr (19 in 15) helped them get to 251.

Pakistan started slowly in their chase and lost opener Muneeba Ali in the sixth over, trapped lbw by Hanna Rowe, with just 11 runs on the board.

But Sidra Ameen upped the tempo, hitting 20 off her next eight balls before Tahuhu dismissed her for a 22-ball 24.

Bismah Maroof and Riaz added 101 for the third wicket as Pakistan looked like they were in control of the chase. While Maroof reached her half-century, Riaz fell just short as Jess took a good return catch to break their burgeoning stand.

Fatima Sana, standing in as Pakistan’s skipper after Nida Dar was concussed in the first game, came in and played an enterprising knock to ensure the visitors did not lose momentum with Riaz’s wicket.

Even after Fran Jonas ended Maroof’s stay for 68 in 86 balls, Sana continued to take the bowlers on, with support from Natalia Pervaiz. Devine finally had Sana caught behind for a 33-ball 36 with Pakistan still 54 runs behind New Zealand’s total.

Pervaiz and Alvi then put on a 31-run stand off 28 balls as Pakistan inched closer, but the Kerr sisters combined to remove Pervaiz for a 23-ball 26 with Pakistan still needing 23 runs.

Tahuhu caught Umm-e-Hani off her own bowling in the next over, and Amelia threatened to take the game away when Nashra Sandhu was run-out off her bowling in the penultimate over and she castled Iqbal for a golden duck.

But Alvi, who finished unbeaten on 23 in 26 balls, kept her calm and helped Pakistan take it to a Super Over.

Brief scores:
Pakistan women 251 for 9 in 50 overs (Bismah Maroof 68, Sidra Ameen 24, Aliya Riaz 44, Fatima Sana 36, Natalia Pervaiz 26, Najiha Alvi 23; Lea Tahuhu 2-30, Amelia Kerr 2-54) beat  New Zealand women 251 for 8 in 50 overs (Suzie Bates 24, Amelia Kerr 77, Sophie Devine 29, Maddy Green 65*; Nashra Sandhu 2-59, Ghulam Fatima 2-59) in the One-over Eliminator

(BBC)