COLOMBO: In a dominant ICC Women’s World Cup performance, defending champions Australia defeated Pakistan by 107 runs, with Beth Mooney earning the Player of the Match award for her brilliant century.
The match, held in Colombo, saw Pakistan get off to a promising start but fail to sustain momentum, ultimately being bowled out for 114 runs while chasing a target of 222. Sidra Amin was Pakistan’s top scorer with 35 runs.
Australia’s innings began shakily, with their openers dismissed for just 30 runs. By 76 runs, seven Australian batters had already returned to the pavilion. In this critical situation, Beth Mooney held firm, initially supported by Katherine Brunt, before Ellyse Perry joined her at the crease.
Mooney and Perry stitched together a crucial 106-run partnership for the ninth wicket, with Mooney scoring a commanding 109 runs and Perry contributing 51 runs, steering Australia to 221/9. Nashra Sidhu took three wickets, while Fatima Sana and Rameen Shamim picked up two wickets each.
Pakistan’s response faltered from the start. Early wickets fell quickly, leaving the team struggling at 31/5, and the middle order could not recover.
Despite Sidra Amin’s resilient 35, Pakistan’s batters could only manage 114 runs, handing Australia a comprehensive 107-run victory. Katherine Brunt also made an impact with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets.
