Pakistan’s journey in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup concluded following a close 13-run defeat against Ireland in a rain-affected group match held at the Johor Cricket Academy Oval in Malaysia on Wednesday.
After this loss, Pakistan finished in fourth place in Group B, thus missing the chance to progress to the Super Six stage of the tournament. Ireland, along with England and the USA, successfully advanced to the next round. Looking ahead, Pakistan is set to face Samoa in the fourth-place playoff on Friday, January 24, at the same venue.
In the match, Ireland won the toss and opted to bat first. They managed to score 69 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in the curtailed nine overs. Alice Walsh was the standout performer for Ireland, earning the Player of the Match award for her aggressive knock of 31 runs off just 19 balls, which included five boundaries. Walsh’s opening partner, Freya Sargent, contributed 11 runs from 10 deliveries, while Annabel Squires and Abbi Harrison added valuable late runs with scores of 13 and 10 not out, respectively. For Pakistan, Memoona Khalid made her mark with the ball, taking two wickets in her single over, showcasing her potential despite the team’s overall performance not being enough to secure a victory.
This match highlights the challenges faced by the young Pakistani side in the tournament, as they now shift their focus to the upcoming playoff against Samoa, aiming to close out the campaign on a positive note.
