Sidra Amin achieves historic first while keeping Pakistan alive against India in ICC World Cup match

Sidra Amin stood tall against India as she brought Pakistan back into the contest in their ICC Women’s World Cup match in Colombo on Sunday. Amin, who was in red-hot form during the three-match ODI series against South Africa ahead of the World Cup with two centuries and an unbeaten fifty, came to Pakistan’s rescue after they were reduced to 26/3 in their blockbuster World Cup clash against India.

The top-order batter not only added 69 runs for the fourth wicket with Natalia Pervaiz – who was promoted to No 5 and chipped in with a handy 33 – she also brought up a hard-fought half-century, her 13th in ODIs, in 82 deliveries.

Amin had collected five boundaries on her way to bringing up her half-century. More importantly, she struck spin-bowling all-rounder Sneh Rana for a six in the 18th over of the chase to enter the record books by becoming the first ever Pakistani batter to score a six against India in women’s ODIs!

The 33-year-old, meanwhile, brought up her fifty shortly after Pakistan lost two wickets in quick succession, with skipper Fatima Sana getting dismissed for 2 off 15 deliveries after holing out to Smriti Mandhana at long off off Deepti Sharma’s bowling.

Amin running out of support at the other end

Pakistan thus were reduced to 102/5 in 31 overs after being set a competitive 248 to win by the Women in Blue. And they lost wickets in a cluster once again after a 41-run partnership between Amin and Sidra Nawaz for the sixth wicket, with Pakistan losing three wickets in as many overs.

Amin was the latest of the batters to depart, hitting the ball straight to India captain Harmanpreet Kaur at square leg to depart for 81 as Pakistan were reduced to 150/8, leaving a 12th Indian victory in as many women’s ODI meetings against India a simple formality.

Pakistan had earlier bowled India out for 247 after skipper Sana elected to field, with pacer Diana Baig leading the way with a haul of 4/69. None of the Indian batters were able to reach the fifty-mark, with Harleen Deol top-scoring for her side with a knock of 46 and wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh later chipping in with an unbeaten 35 off 20 deliveries.

And during the toss, captain Harmanpreet ignored Sana as India extended their ’no handshake policy’ for Pakistan to the ICC Women’s World Cup after observing it in each of their three meetings against their arch-rivals in the Men’s T20 Asia Cup.