Pakistan women’s team’s leg spinner Ghulam Fatima starred with a magical spell to bowl Sri Lanka out for 169 in the first game of the three-match ODI series on Wednesday. Recording her career-best figure, Fatima finished with four wickets for just 21 runs.
The highlight of her spell came in the 31st over of the Sri Lankan innings. Fatima delivered a looping delivery way outside off to dismiss left-handed Oshadi Ranasinghe who decided to leave it. However, the ball sharply turned its way into the stumps, giving the Pakistan bowler her third success.
A video of Fatima’s wickets was later posted by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Twitter describing it as a “leg-spin masterclass.”
𝟏𝟎-𝟐-𝟐𝟏-𝟒
Leg-spin masterclass from Ghulam Fatima as she registers her career-best figures ✨
🐦 @TheRealPCB_Live
Watch Live ➡️ https://t.co/oeRT1m2sMp
#⃣ #PAKWvSLW | #BackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/TBwsFrHPKM— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) June 1, 2022
Fatima’s delivery to Ranasinghe shared an uncanny resemblance to the late Shane Warne’s ball of the century that he bowled to English batter Mike Gatting on June 4, 1993. Warne’s ball had pitched outside the leg stump and then took a vicious turn to hit Gatting’s off stump.
Ball of the century 💥pic.twitter.com/7Rp3iSnxTk
— Tides of History (@labour_history) March 4, 2022
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Women’s team did not face any trouble in its chase of Sri Lanka’s target of 170 and won the match with 8 wickets to spare. After an early dismissal of opener Muneeba Ali, skipper Bisman Maroof and Sidra stitched a 143-run partnership for the second wicket and ensured a smooth path for their side.
While Maroof was dismissed on 62, Ameen finished the match with an unbeaten 76. The victory gives Pakistan a 1-0 lead in the series.
On 31 occasions the two teams have come face to face, Sri Lanka have a 21-10 head-to-head record in their favour. The Islanders will be eager to add to that tally when they faces the host side on June 3 for the second ODI of the series.
Pakistan, on the other hand, will be eager to continue their winning momentum. The hosts had registered a 3-0 victory over Sri Lanka in the T20i series last month.
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