Pakistan successfully launched their Women’s Asia Cup campaign in Dubai with a commanding 35-run victory over Thailand. The Group A fixture saw Pakistan set a target of 119 for 9, a total they defended with disciplined bowling to restrict their opponents to 84 for 8. The win was anchored by Muneeba Ali’s composed batting performance and a devastating spell from Sadia Iqbal.
Batting Struggles and Recovery
Opting to bat first, Pakistan encountered immediate pressure as Thipatcha Putthawong claimed the wickets of Shawaal Zulfiqar and Gull Feroza within the opening two overs. Although Ayesha Zafar offered brief resistance with a few boundaries, her dismissal left the team at 32/3 by the end of the Powerplay. Muneeba Ali then anchored the innings, partnering with Sadaf Shamas to reach 60/3 at the halfway point. The duo added 54 runs before Suleeporn Laomi shifted the momentum in the 13th over, dismissing Shamas for 20 and removing captain Fatima Sana for a duck. Muneeba reached her fifty off 45 balls but was eventually stumped for 54, while Laomi concluded her spell with impressive figures of 3 for 14. Late contributions from Umm-e-Hani and Tuba Hassan helped push the final score toward 120.
Thailand’s Failed Chase
Thailand’s pursuit was hampered from the outset by Sadia Iqbal, who delivered a double-wicket maiden in her opening over, dismissing Phannita Maya and Nannapat Koncharoenkai. Despite attempts by Nattakan Chantam and Naruemol Chaiwai to stabilize the innings, the pair struggled to find boundaries, managing only 22 runs during the Powerplay. Nashra Sandhu further tightened the screws by removing Chantam, leaving Thailand reeling at 33/3 at the ten-over mark.
Final Stages and Outcome
- Skipper Naruemol Chaiwai’s slow-paced 17 off 33 balls concluded when she fell to Tuba Hassan in the 13th over.
- As the required run rate escalated, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi attempted to build a partnership with Chanida Sutthiruang, but she became Tuba’s second victim, leaving the score at 65/5.
- Following the dismissal of Naomi Hamilton by Ayesha Zafar, Thailand required an improbable 50 runs from the final 15 deliveries.
- The innings ultimately fizzled out, marking Thailand’s second defeat in three tournament appearances.
The final scorecard reflected Pakistan’s dominance: they finished on 119/9, while Thailand could only manage 84/8. Key contributors for Pakistan included Muneeba Ali (54 off 52) and Sadia Iqbal (3-11), while Thailand’s efforts were led by Chanida Sutthiruang (25 off 24) and the bowling duo of Suleeporn Laomi (3-14) and Thipatcha Putthawong (3-18). The report also notes that but Pakistan found some momentum late in the innings, with Umm-e-Hani’s 17 and Tuba Hassan’s 12 taking them close to 120, thailand kept taking wickets.
