Pakistan face Australia in Women's World Cup today
Defending champions Australia have won their first three matches.
LAHORE (APP) – After suffering three defeats, Pakistan women team will face another uphill task when they play defending champions mighty Australia in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 today (Wednesday) at Grace Road, Leicester, England.
Defending champions Australia have won their first three matches at the Women’s World Cup but their all-rounder Ellyse Perry says the team is solely focused on taking each game as it comes.
Pakistan are next up for Australia after the defending champions comfortably beat New Zealand by five wickets. Perry smashed 71 runs in an impressive performance but says the team is not getting ahead of itself.
The all-rounder said: “Pakistan will be a great challenge. The way this tournament and format is set up, we don’t have an easy game.”
“It’s really nice to win and be positive but we will refocus on each match. We haven’t really spoken about any other match apart from the one ahead of us.”
“Every match is a bit of a challenge. We’ve seen teams knock one another off with it being a bit unexpected. For us, we would just like to keep building and hopefully improving with each match. That’s really the key.”
“If those things go well then towards the end of the tournament you should be in a really good place but there’s a bit of cricket to play before then.”
Six-time champions Australia are tied with India at six points from three games each but placed second owing to India’s better net run-rate while Pakistan is still looking for their first points after doing well in patches against South Africa and India.
Pakistan impressed in the bowling department against India with Nashra Sundhu taking an impressive four for 26.
But it was massively let down in the batting department with Sana Mir (29) and Bibi Nahida (23) the only players to reach double figures as it was bowled out for just 74.
Bowler Diana Baig though is looking at the positives ahead of the crunch game with Australia.
The bowler said: “We’re trying to prepare for the next matches and we’re positive for the Australia match that we will do something.”
“It’s an amazing feeling to play against Australia, but it’s just a team. I want to play against the next team.”
“Our fielding and bowling were 100 per cent but our batting (against India) didn’t click and we will bounce back in our next match.”
Squads
Pakistan: Sana Mir (captain), Asmavia Iqbal, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Ghulam Fatima, Iram Javed, Javeria Wadood, Kainat Imtiaz, Marina Iqbal, Bibi Nahida, Nain Abidi, Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Yousaf, Sidra Nawaz and Waheeda Akhter
Australia: Meg Lanning (captain), Sarah Aley, Kristen Beams, Nicole Bolton, Alex Blackwell, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Belinda Vakarewa, Elyse Villani and Amanda Jade Wellington
Umpires: Sue Redfern and Anil Chaudhary
Match referee: David Jukes.
