Player of the Match
Player of the Match

9.52 pm Ireland were in the chase for the first 13 overs, advancing to 87 for 5. But the collapse was swift afterward once Richardson got out in the 14th over, losing their last five wickets for eight runs. The margin of victory is not really a fair reflection of how competitive Ireland were in the chase for the first two-thirds of the second innings. However, they made things infinitely harder on themselves with some consistently poor fielding. If they had taken their chances, including when Muneeba was on 45, they could have realistically held Pakistan to 130-140. Instead, Muneeba went on to become Pakistan's first Women's T20I centurion.

No prizes for guessing who the Player of the Match is. Muneeba Ali is accepting her award now after striking 102 off 68 balls (14 fours) in the win. "When I got a start, then I had a partnership with Nida bhajji and she was always telling me to keep going and score big. So from the 12th and 13th over, I felt I could make a hundred and she pushed me. I was playing with my feet and trying to understand where they are trying to bowl and make a plan where I can find a boundary. I want to dedicate my award to my captain and my teammates. We had a bad game yesterday and we fight a lot but everyone is happy today."

Ireland captain Laura Delany: "I think we underperformed today and will be disappointed with our performance. At the start, we gave them too much width, and we found it hard then to drag it back and take wickets. But we started off with the bat well and we had intent which is one thing we've tried to focus on, but overall we're slightly disappointed with how we performed today. It's such a nice group to captain. They're such a lovely group of players and they're learning game by game. I think Orla [Prendergast] is a prime example of that. Every time she steps out on the pitch, she just gets better and better and she's growing in confidence. Even Leah and Cara, two of our young spinners, who bowled incredibly well against England and today put up a really good fight, as long as we're learning and putting in a better performance each time, that's all we can ask. [On Muneeba] All I can say is well batted and she outplayed us."

Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof: "It was a very clinical performance in every department. I'm very proud of the way Muneeba batted. She has backed herself and showed what she can do and I hope she can continue her performance like that. I said you're a set batter, just go and bat deep. We have taken 10 wickets, so that's a pleasing thing. But I still think we can be better in the next game. We have taken the positives [from the India loss] but we have taken the little lapses from that loss, we have taken them and improved in the next match."

So Pakistan are now in third place in Group 2 on two points, two behind both England and India. But they've improved their net run rate dramatically moving it to +1.54. By comparison, India's is only at +0.59 despite having two wins from two matches. In order to bring that tiebreaker into play though, Pakistan realistically will have to win their final two matches against West Indies and England.

That's it for tonight's live coverage. Come back tomorrow for another contest from the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup which will begin at 3 pm local time when Australia take on Sri Lanka in a clash of the two remaining undefeated sides in Group 1. Until then, take care!

16.3
W
Sadia Iqbal to Paul, OUT, bullseye! Good length ball on off stump, Paul defends inside the line expecting more turn and instead the ball skids straight on to the top of off stump, clipping just one bail in fact. It's all over. Pakistan win by 70 runs.

L Paul b Sadia Iqbal 4 (14m 8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

16.2
0
Sadia Iqbal to Paul, no run, low full toss at ankle height on middle, jammed out back to the bowler.
16.1
0
Sadia Iqbal to Paul, no run, full and wide, driven to mid-off for none.

END OF OVER:
16 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | IRE-W: 95/9 (71 runs required from 24 balls, RR: 5.93, RRR: 17.75)

  • Jane Maguire0 (1b)
  • Leah Paul4 (5b)
  • Nida Dar3-1-5-2
  • Sadia Iqbal3-0-17-1
15.6
0
Nida Dar to Maguire, no run, thigh high full toss on off stump, Maguire plays this like a true No. 11 blocking this back to the bowler.
15.5
W
Nida Dar to Murray, OUT, bullseye! Nida dar(ts) this one in much quicker and fuller on leg stump, Murray goes back instead of forward and misses a flick as the ball caroms slightly off the pads before going on to crash into middle and leg stump a third of the way up.

C Murray b Nida Dar 2 (5m 4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

15.4
1
Nida Dar to Paul, 1 run, short and wide, cuts this to cover on the ring for one.
15.3
0
Nida Dar to Paul, no run, length ball on seventh stump, goes to cut and misses.
15.2
1
Nida Dar to Murray, 1 run, full on middle, driven to extra cover, diving stop keeps this to a single.
15.1
0
Nida Dar to Murray, no run, good length ball on fourth stump spinning in, defended to cover.

END OF OVER:
15 | 4 Runs 1 Wkt | IRE-W: 93/8 (73 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 6.20, RRR: 14.60)

  • Cara Murray1 (1b)
  • Leah Paul3 (3b)
  • Sadia Iqbal3-0-17-1
  • Nashra Sandhu4-0-18-4
14.6
1
Sadia Iqbal to Murray, 1 run, length ball cut through the legs of the backward point fielder for a single.

The difference between these two sides in the fielding department has been huge. Pakistan has arguably had only one blunder which was a misjudgment with the fielder coming off the rope too far at deep midwicket as the ball landed behind her and bounced over the rope. Otherwise, they've been on the ball. Ireland was poor throughout.

14.5
W
Sadia Iqbal to Kelly, OUT, full on fourth stump, shuffles across to scoop this over short fine leg but it floats up too high to allow the fielder on the ring to run forward with a sharp diving effort taken at shin height.

AN Kelly c Aiman Anwer b Sadia Iqbal 1 (4m 3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

14.4
0
Sadia Iqbal to Kelly, no run, charges a full ball on the legs, misses a flick and the ball dribbles away for none.
14.3
1
Sadia Iqbal to Paul, 1 run, back of a length on the legs, flicked to deep backward square leg for one.
14.2
1
Sadia Iqbal to Kelly, 1 run, back of a length on off, punched to long-on for one.
14.1
1
Sadia Iqbal to Paul, 1 run, good length ball on the legs, flicked to deep backward square leg for one.

END OF OVER:
14 | 2 Runs 2 Wkts | IRE-W: 89/7 (77 runs required from 36 balls, RR: 6.35, RRR: 12.83)

  • Leah Paul1 (1b)
  • Nashra Sandhu4-0-18-4
  • Aliya Riaz1-0-16-0

Quite a spell by Nashra that has effectively killed off the match, taking out Prendergast and Richardson.

13.6
W
Nashra Sandhu to Waldron, OUT, charges a good length ball on fifth stump, tries to smash this over mid-on but slices a thick edge that floats tamely to backward point on the ring. Simple catch at chest height.

MV Waldron c Javeria Khan b Nashra Sandhu 1 (13m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 20.00

13.5
1
Nashra Sandhu to Paul, 1 run, good length ball on the stumps, punched past the bowler to mid-on for one.

Well, Richardson was pretty much Ireland's last hope of chasing this total.

13.4
W
Nashra Sandhu to Richardson, OUT, good length ball on the wide guideline, Richardson shuffles way outside off trying to scoop this over short fine leg but doesn't get enough lumber on this and Sadia Iqbal stands tall reaching above her head to take a sharp catch reaching high above her head on the ring at short fine leg.

EAJ Richardson c Sadia Iqbal b Nashra Sandhu 28 (26m 17b 5x4 0x6) SR: 164.70

13.3
0
Nashra Sandhu to Richardson, no run, good length ball on middle, miscues a flick that results in a top-edge floating toward the non-striker Waldron. As is her right, she stands her ground forcing Nashra to try to maneuver around her for a catch which Nashra can't do while colliding with Waldron. Heads up cricket by Waldron to save Richardson.
13.2
0
Nashra Sandhu to Richardson, no run, good length ball on middle, uses her feet before checking back to the bowler.
13.1
1
Nashra Sandhu to Waldron, 1 run, confusion between the wickets as Waldron tries to use her feet to flick into midwicket, a leading edge goes to extra cover and she keeps running. Richardson is delayed taking off and would've been toast with an accurate through to the keeper but the relay drags Muneeba well away from the stumps.

END OF OVER:
13 | 16 Runs | IRE-W: 87/5 (79 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 6.69, RRR: 11.28)

  • Eimear Richardson28 (14b)
  • Mary Waldron0 (3b)
  • Aliya Riaz1-0-16-0
  • Nashra Sandhu3-0-16-2

Even with a dot, that 16-run over is Ireland's best of the chase, eclipsing the 14 runs Prendergast took in the fourth over.

12.6
0
Aliya Riaz to Richardson, no run, back of a length on fifth stump, defended to extra cover.
12.5
2
Aliya Riaz to Richardson, 2 runs, length ball on the legs, pulls this to deep backward square leg for another two.
12.4
2
Aliya Riaz to Richardson, 2 runs, length ball on middle, heaves this to deep backward square leg, fielded on one bounce and they scamper back for a tight two.
12.3
4
Aliya Riaz to Richardson, FOUR, full on leg stump, gets on a knee to scoop this over the keeper and picks the keep with short fine leg to go to the rope.

Women's T20 World Cup News

IRE Women 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st8GH LewisA Hunter
2nd24GH LewisO Prendergast
3rd20L DelanyO Prendergast
4th8EAJ RichardsonL Delany
5th11EAJ RichardsonL Little
6th17EAJ RichardsonMV Waldron
7th1MV WaldronL Paul
8th3AN KellyL Paul
9th3L PaulC Murray
10th0L PaulJ Maguire