England posted the highest-ever team total in a Women’s T20 World Cup game, amassing 213/5 against Pakistan in their final group-stage game at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The target was too much to chase down for the struggling Pakistani side as all they could manage was 99/9, with England winning the game comfortably by 114 runs.
Already through to the semi-finals after Pakistan’s loss to the West Indies on Sunday, England finished on top of Group 2 with a win in all of their four matches. For sure they will be heading into the last-four stage with a strong mindset.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, England didn’t get off to the best of starts as they were two down for 33 inside the Powerplay. Sophia Dunkley and No.3 Alice Capsey were the ones dismissed.
But Danni Wyatt (59 off 33 balls) and Natalie Sciver-Brunt’s blistering 40-ball 81 not out helped England regain the momentum with their 74-run partnership for the third wicket. Pakistan did try to hit back with quick dismissals of Wyatt and England skipper Heather Knight, but Sciver-Brunt remained solid.
She also found an able ally in wicketkeeper Amy Jones (47 off 31 balls) as the duo hammered a 100-run stand in just 7.3 overs to take England to the record total.
Sciver-Brunt’s knock featured 12 boundaries and a maximum, while Jones hit five fours and one six.
In reply, Pakistan, who had yet another inauspicious World Cup campaign, never looked like posing any sort of challenge to the English bowlers. England had practically wrapped up the game when they had Pakistan wobbling at 33/4 halfway into the ninth over.
Such deflated Pakistan were that they couldn’t even reach a three-figure total. Among the England bowlers, pacer Katherine Sciver-Brunt and off-spinner Charlie Dean struck twice each.
“We had been doing well in the build-up, but we weren’t bowling that well. This was a really good performance though,” Player of the Match Sciver-Brunt said.
Brief scores: England Women 213/5 (N. Sciver-Brunt 81 n.o., D. Wyatt 59). Pakistan Women 99/9 (K. Sciver-Brunt 2/14, C. Dean 2/28). England Women won by 114 runs.
