Pakistan’s Women’s Cricket World Cup campaign took another hit today as they suffered a heavy defeat against defending champions Australia, who outplayed them in all departments in Colombo.
Batting first, Australia managed a solid total of 221 runs, largely thanks to a magnificent century by Beth Mooney, who scored 109 runs off 127 balls. Mooney’s innings came at a crucial time after Pakistan’s bowlers struck early, reducing Australia to 45 for 3 inside the first ten overs.
Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 wickets for 38 runs, while Rameen Shamim also chipped in with a couple of crucial breakthroughs. However, Mooney’s calm and calculated knock stabilized the Australian innings and guided them to a defendable total.
In response, Pakistan’s batting lineup faltered yet again. Despite a promising start by Sidra Amin, who top-scored with 35 runs, wickets fell at regular intervals, leaving Pakistan struggling to build partnerships. Australia’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure, with Megan Schutt and Alana King dismantling the middle and lower order.
Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 112 runs, falling 109 runs short of the target. The result marks Pakistan’s third consecutive loss in the tournament, putting their semi-final hopes in serious jeopardy.
After the match, Pakistan captain Nida Dar admitted her team failed to capitalize on key moments. “We bowled well early on, but we couldn’t hold the momentum with the bat,” she said. “We need to show more intent and confidence in upcoming games.”
Australia, on the other hand, continue their dominant form, sitting comfortably at the top of the points table. Captain Alyssa Healy praised her team’s composure, saying, “Mooney’s innings was world-class, and our bowlers backed it up perfectly.”
Pakistan’s next match is against South Africa on Saturday — a must-win fixture if they want to keep their World Cup campaign alive.
