KARACHI – Challengers captain Rameen Shamim starred with both bat and ball to lead her team to a four-wicket victory over Stars at the Oval Academy Ground, Karachi on Thursday evening in the second round of the National Women’s T20 tournament.
Rameen, who earlier bagged figures of 4-0-17-2, chipped in with an unbeaten 12-ball 21, hitting two fours and one six in the last over, after walking in to bat at 88-5, to register Challengers’ first win in the tournament as they chased the 118-run target in 19.2 overs.
Challengers opening batter Sadaf Shamas contributed a three fours and one-six laden 32, while Natalia Parvaiz (18, 22b, 1×6) and Aliya Riaz (17, 1×4, 1×6) also kept the scorecard ticking. For Stars, Tuba Hassan picked up three wickets for 26 runs.
Earlier, opting to bat first, Stars were dismissed for 116 in 20 overs as Sidra Nawaz (27 not out, 26b, 1×4), Sidra Amin (23, 1×4, 1×6), Tuba Hassan (22, 1×4, 1×6) and Samiya Afsar (21, 30b, 2x4s) helped their team cross the 100-run mark.
Apart from Rameen, Zaib-un-Nisa picked up two wickets, while Tasmia Rubab and Momina Riasat dismissed one batter each.
In the other match of the second round, Strikers registered a seven-wicket win over Invincibles to open their account in the tournament as they chased the 135-run target with five balls to spare.
Invincibles’ Saiqa Riaz hit a 49-ball 58, inclusive of eight fours and one six, while putting on an 80-run stand with fellow opener Muneeba Ali (31, 22b, 6x4s).
For Strikers, Umm-e-Hani (3-18) and Zunash Abdul Sattar (2-17) shared five wickets among them as Invincibles were helped to 134-7 with Omaima Sohail striking three fours in her 10-ball 18.
In turn, Strikers’ skipper Gull Feroza (41, 38b, 5x4s) stitched a valuable 69-run stand with Zoofishan Ayyaz (29, 35b, 4x4s) to steer the chase. Player of the match, Eyman Fatima, who hit an unbeaten half-century in a losing cause yesterday, paced today’s chase with an unbeaten 42, hitting six fours and one six during her 31-ball stay in the middle.
For Invincibles, Neha Sharmeen dismissed two batters for 14 runs in her three overs.
