AI Simulation, PAK-W vs SA-W | Marizanne Kapp's hattrick changes the game as Pakistan Women fail to avoid whitewash

‌Pitch and Weather

The surface at the Gaddafi Stadium offered a bit of grip and turn for the spinners at the start, as the pitch was dry and slow at the beginning. However, evening dew made it easier for the batters to score their runs in the second innings.

The conditions in Lahore were hot and dry, with the temperature recorded at 36 degrees Celsius, and remained clear throughout the game.

Toss 

South Africa Women won the toss and elected to bat first

Lineups

Pakistan Women: Muneeba Ali, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Amin, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana (c), Natalia Pervaiz, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal.

South Africa Women: Tazmin Brits, Laura Wolvaardt (c), Marizanne Kapp, Miane Smit, Annerie Dercksen, Nondumiso Shangase, Karabo Meso (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune.

Match Report

The Proteas won the toss and chose to bat on a dryish surface in Lahore and started with a slightly cautious approach at the top. Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt negated the challenges in the power play with a cautious approach and started to find their rhythm after the field restrictions were removed. The two openers formed an opening stand of 112 runs before Brits was finally dismissed in the 20th over by Nashra Sandhu for a well-played knock of 62 off 78 deliveries. Though the Green Shirts managed to break the partnership, Marizanne Kapp joined the skipper and kept the scoreboard moving with some fearless strokeplay. With both batters looking set at the crease, a big total was on the cards with the score reading 125/1 at the halfway stage. However, there was a massive twist in the game as Diana Baig brought Pakistan back in the game with a couple of strikes in the 30th over. The right-arm pacer cleaned up Wolvaardt with a beautiful off-cutter on a score of 73 and ended Kapp’s explosive knock of 41 in the 33rd over. This turned out to be a game-changer for the hosts as Miane Smit and Annerie Dercksen were also dismissed cheaply. This put the Proteas in a spot of bother at 180/4 after 35 overs. The struggles continued for the Rainbow nation as Nondumiso Shangase and Karabo Meso looked tentative at the crease and finally succumbed under pressure towards the end of the second power play. While Shangase gave a simple caught and bold chance to Fatima Sana, Meso was caught plumb in front of the stumps by Sandhu in the 40th over, with the score reading 200/6. There was a bit of respite for the African nation as Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk played some useful cameos to take the score to 248/7, but it still seemed like a below-par score with dew making it tough for the bowlers to grip the ball.

The Pakistan openers, Sidra Amin and Muneeba Ali, took advantage of the dew factor and formed an important opening stand. The duo put on 105 runs, Amin playing some elegant strokes and Ali taking the aerial route on occasions. However, the partnership was finally broken by Masabata Klaas, who found the outside edge of Ali in the 19th over on a score of 45. After the opening stand was broken, the South African came back into the match as Nadine de Klerk dismissed Omaima Sohail and the Pakistan skipper to bring the game back in the balance, with the score reading 125/3 at the halfway stage. Though these two wickets put the hosts in a tough spot, Amin and Aliya Riaz formed a crucial stand to get the team back on track. The two batters put the South Asian side in a dominant position with a partnership of 65, bringing the score to 193/3 after 33 overs. While it looked like Pakistan Women might avoid the clean sweep, Marizanne Kapp changed the tide with a hat-trick in the 35th over, dismissing Riaz, Natalia Parvaiz, and Sidra Nawaz in the first three deliveries. There was more trouble for the hosts as Amin was also dismissed in the 37th over on a score of 81 off 103 deliveries by Chloe Tryon as the Green Shirts suddenly slipped to a score of 212/7. This turned out to be the final nail in the coffin as another couple of wickets fell in quick succession and the Pakistan team were bundled out for 231, and the Proteas achieved a clean sweep in the three-match ODI series.

Player of the match

Marizanne Kapp was named the player of the match for her hat-trick and ended the game with figures of 3/40 in her full quota of 10 overs. She also played a useful cameo with the bat

Scorecard