T20 WC: Pakistan's bowlers sizzle against Sri Lanka

IMAGE: Pakistan's Omaima Sohail celebrates after picking up a wicket. Photograph: ICC

Pakistan bowlers fired in unison to guide their team to a memorable 31-run win over Sri Lanka in their low-scoring opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup in Sharjah on Thursday.

Batting first, Pakistan were bowled out for 116 in exactly 20 overs. In reply, Sri Lanka were stopped at 85 for nine.

Skipper and Player of the Match Fatima Sana top-scored for Pakistan with 30 off 20 balls, while her Sri Lankan counterpart Chamari Athapaththu (3/18), Sugandika Kumari (3/19) and Udeshika Prabodhani (3/20) shared nine wickets between them.

Defending a small total, left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal led the way for Pakistan with excellent figures of 3/17 in four overs, while there were two wickets apiece for Omaima Sohail (2/17), Nashra Sandhu (2/15) and captain Sana (2/10).

Opting to bat after winning the toss, Pakistan were off to a disastrous start and lost three wickets with just 32 runs on the board in the sixth over.

Sri Lanka were on top of the game as the situation became worse for Pakistan with the fall of their fourth wicket in the form of Omaima Sohail (18 off 19 balls) in the 10th over.

At the halfway stage of their innings, Pakistan were in all sorts of trouble with the score reading an ordinary 57 for the loss of four wickets.

Left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari was the wrecker-in-chief in the early stages of the Pakistan innings, the seasoned campaigner accounting for the wickets of openers Muneeba Ali (11 off 14 balls) and Gull Feroza (2 off 4 balls).