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Pakistan's bowlers were at their very best in Dubai and guided their side to a comfortable win in their opening Asia Cup encounter on Tuesday.
This bodes well for the team, which has faced some tough results in recent times, and will boost the side ahead of their much-anticipated clash against arch-rivals India on Saturday. Fatima Sana won the toss and elected to bat first in Dubai. Thipatcha Putthawong was right on money with her left-arm spin, picking two wickets in her first over to leave Pakistan languishing at 7/2. This helped Putthawong overtake Deepti Sharma in the list of the most wicket-takers in women's T20Is, just days after the Indian had overtaken her, as per ICC. Shawaal Zulfiqar (1) and Gull Feroza (0) fell to her turn, before Phannita Maya accounted for Ayesha Zafar (9) too. Muneeba Ali and Sadaf Shamas arrested the slide, and got Pakistan to 60/3 by the halfway mark. Pakistan looked like they were settling in when Suleeporn Laomi struck twice in the 13th over, removing Shamas (20) and then Fatima Sana (0). Muneeba's half-century helped Pakistan close in towards the hundred, but the left-hander eventually fell to Laomi for 54. Umm-e-Hani and Tuba Hassan's late cameos helped the side get close to a run-a-ball total. Putthawong (3/18) and Laomi (3/14) were the standout performers for Thailand. Chasing 120 for a win, Thailand were rattled early in their innings as the number nine-ranked T20I bowler Sadia Iqbal struck twice to destabilise their start. Natthakan Chantham was joined by skipper Naruemol Chaiwai, and while the duo managed to stem the flow of wickets, the scoring rate failed to take off. When Chantham fell to Nashra Sundhu's turn at the halfway mark, Thailand's asking rate was closer to eight-and-a-half on a slow wicket. By the time Tuba Hassan accounted for Chaiwai (17), Thailand were already far behind the asking rate. Spinners kept a check on Thailand's batting, as Pakistan eventually secured a 35-run win. Indonesia face off against Sri Lanka in Group B of the Asia Cup tomorrow, whereas India take on Hong Kong the day after in Group A. (ANI)
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