PAK-W vs SL-W | Debutant Tuba Hassan scripts history as home team take series lead

Pakistan spinner Tuba Hassan on Tuesday (May 24) registered the best bowling figures on debut by a Pakistani woman in T20Is as Pakistan won by six-wicket against Sri Lanka in the first match of the three-match T20I series played at the Southend Club in Karachi.

Tuba stifled down the Lankan women's batting line-up in the first T20I between the two sides as she produced a stunning spell of leg-spin bowling to bamboozle the visitors in her first-ever appearance for Pakistan. 

Previously the record for the best bowling figures on debut by a Pakistani cricketer was held by former spinner Sadia Yousuf, who had picked up 2 wickets for 9 runs against New Zealand in 2010.

The Lahore-born bowler got the wickets of Harshitha Madavi, Anushka Sanjeewani, and Kavisha Dilhari as the Sri Lankan batters were unable to read her leg-spin. registered the best figures in a T20I debut for a Pakistan bowler with figures of 4-1-8-3.   

The visitors were pegged back at the start of the innings with the seasoned left-arm-spinner Anam Amin taking the first two wickets including the big wicket of Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu.

Nilakshi de Silva and Harshitha Madavi top-scored for Sri Lanka with 25 runs each. De Silva scored her runs off 22 balls with the help of a six and a four. Harshitha Madavi scored her runs off 35 balls with the help of two boundaries.

Amin took another wicket in her second spell to finish with three wickets for 21 runs from her four overs. Pacer Amin Anwar contributed with two wickets for 32 runs as Pakistan bowlers maintained their stranglehold on the opponents. 

Pakistan lost their other debutant Gull Feroza in the opening over of their innings, Iram Javed scored a quickfire 18 off 14 balls before she was dismissed by Oshadi Ranasinghe in the sixth over. Muneeba Ali (18) was dismissed with a score of 45 in the ninth over.

The experienced duo of captain Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar added 51 runs for the fourth wicket to consolidate Pakistan’s position. Bismah fell for 28 to Ranasinghe in the 17th over. Nida took Pakistan to victory on the second ball of the 19th over, the all-rounder remaining unbeaten on 36 off 27.

The second match between the Pakistan Women and Sri Lanka Women will be played on 26 May while the 3rd T20I match will be played on 28 May at National Stadium Karachi.