Kuala Lumpur: Helped by captain Meg Lanning’s blistering 124 and Rachael Haynes’ measured 79, Australia Women put up 273/7, and that proved to be too many for Pakistan.
Pakistan were bowled out for 123 in 40.1 overs as Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series by winning the second ODI here on Saturday by 150 runs. It also gave Australia two more ICC Women’s Championship points.
After winning the toss and batting first, Australia got off to a slow start, scoring at little over three runs per over in the first 20 overs as Pakistan’s spinners, led by Sana Mir, didn’t let the batters cut loose.
Diana Baig, the pacer, dismissed Alyssa Healy in the seventh over to break a 24-run opening stand while Mir caught Nicole Bolton off her own bowling to send her back for 18, with the score 39 in the 12th over.
When Ellyse Perry was caught by Muneeba Ali off Nashra Sandhu, Australia were in a fix at 54/3, but that was when Lanning and Haynes got together and led an excellent recovery. Lanning took her time initially but then showed good footwork as she got into the act alongside Haynes, who had shown intent right from the beginning.
The Australian captain brought up her 50 off as many deliveries even as Haynes brought up Australia’s hundred with a boundary off Sandhu in the 26th over. Lanning changed gears soon after reaching the milestone as she and Haynes took the attack to Nida Dar, who conceded 65 runs from her eight overs without picking up a wicket.
By the end of the 34th over, both Australia batters had added 109 runs in just under 17 overs and two overs later, Haynes brought up her 50 off 63 balls. Overs 39 to 41 brought 36 runs for Australia as Lanning and Haynes went on the offensive taking Baig and Mir for boundaries all over the park. By the time the onslaught was done, Lanning had brought up her century off just 89 balls, getting there with a driven boundary.
The 181-run stand was finally broken by Anam Amin, who got Haynes caught by Ali in the 44th over with the score 235. However, the duo had done its job and a platform was set for the lower order.
Lanning began the 45th by slamming Javeria Khan for three boundaries but was dismissed by Sandhu in the next over, thereby putting the breaks on the Australian run-scoring, but not before the team had crossed 250.
The last four overs went for only 22 runs and Mir and Baig ensured that the Australian lower order didn’t tee off towards the end. Sandhu returned with 3/54 from 10 overs while Baig gave away 40 in return for two wickets from her 10. Amin and Mir returned with one wicket apiece.
In reply, Pakistan’s chase never really got going as they lost opener Ayesha Zafar (3), No.3 Ali (1) and captain Khan (12) inside the first 10 overs to slip to 37/3. Sidra Ameen then got together with Nahida Khan to add 25 runs for the fourth wicket.
And although Nahida Khan and Mir added 44 runs for the sixth wicket, during which time Pakistan crossed 100 and Nahida 50, it was all too little too late as the required rate crept to over 12 an over.
The match was paused for a brief period by a rain interruption after the 32nd over and was put to an end in the 38th when Molineux trapped Mir lbw for 15 off 49 balls. Thereafter, it was short work for Australia, as the last four Pakistan wickets added just two runs.
Molineux picked up four wickets, Megan Schutt and Ashleigh Gardner took two, and Perry had one wicket.