Colombo, Oct 17: Already out of contention, a winless Pakistan will aim to play party poopers and dent New Zealand’s hopes of reaching the semifinals when the two sides clash in the ICC Women’s World Cup here on Saturday.
Pakistan were left ruing missed chances as their previous match against England was washed out due to rain.
The Asian side had done well to restrict the England to 133 for nine in a rain-curtailed 31-over match, and were cruising at 34 for no loss in 6.4 overs in a revised chase of 113 before rain returned to end proceedings prematurely.
The washout denied Pakistan a potential win and left them languishing at the bottom of the table with three losses and one no-result from four games.
New Zealand, champions in 2000, are just outside the top four with three points from as many games.
After suffering back-to-back defeats to Australia and South Africa, they bounced back with a crucial win over Bangladesh. However, their progress was halted again by rain in the abandoned match against Sri Lanka.
With tough fixtures against India and England coming up on October 23 and 26 respectively, the White Ferns are desperate for a full match on Saturday to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
Pakistan showed promise in their bowling department with skipper Fatima Sana leading the attack with four wickets against England. Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal also chipped in with two scalps to put their side in command before rain had the final say.
Pacer Marufa Akter and leg-spinner Shorna Akter have also impressed in earlier games, and Pakistan will need another all-round bowling effort to contain the experienced New Zealand line-up.
For the Kiwis, skipper Sophie Devine has been the standout performer with the bat, averaging 86.66 from three innings. Her composed knock alongside Brooke Halliday’s gritty innings helped New Zealand get back on track against Bangladesh.
However, inconsistency in the top order remains a concern. Veterans Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, and Amelia Kerr have struggled to convert starts, putting extra pressure on Devine to anchor the innings.
New Zealand’s bowling has been steady, with Devine (3/54) and Bree Illing (2/39) impressing in their last outing.
But the batters from both the teams have not had much time in the middle due to weather disruptions and will be eager to make it count if conditions permit.
Rain remains a major factor, with a forecast of light showers threatening to disrupt proceedings once again.
A washout would hurt New Zealand’s campaign significantly, while Pakistan will look to sign off on a high and shake up the standings.
Squads:
Pakistan: Fatima Sana (C), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Pervaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Aroob Shah.
New Zealand: Sophie Devine (C), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Flora Devonshire, Izzy Gaze, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Bree Illing, Polly Inglis, Bella James, Melie Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Lea Tahuhu.
Match starts: 3 PM IST. (PTI)
