New Zealand Women lose 4 wickets in one over against Pakistan

Ever since Pakistan women’s team’s poor performance in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, there has been no end to criticism hurled towards the team. In a dramatic turn of events, the captaincy changed hands from Sana Mir to Bismah Maroof. Maroof’s ladies played a T20I match against New Zealand Women and lost the game by 39 runs. However, the main attraction of the game was the White Ferns losing 4 wickets in a single over.

The main story

Winning the toss, Suzie Bates decided to bat first. Her team went off to a great start as Pakistani bowlers failed to pick up a wicket. By the end of the 17th over, New Zealand women had already scored 136 runs for the loss of just 3 wickets, and it appeared as if they are going to put up a big total.

However, the 18th over of the game changed its complexion fully. Maroof handed the ball to the 19-year-old budding left-arm orthodox spinner, Nashra Sandhu. What followed was a comedy of errors. The first ball of the 18th over was carefully played towards backward square leg by Amy Satterthwaite for a couple of runs. In the second ball of the over, Satterthwaite was clean bowled by Sandhu. Wicketkeeper Katey Martin was run-out in the very next ball.

In the 4th delivery, Maddy Green completed a run and tried hard to finish the second. However, her efforts went in vain as she found herself short and was run out. This way, New Zealand lost 3 wickets in 3 balls, one of which will be taken into Sandhu’s account. But wait, the drama does not end here. After failing to score on the fifth delivery, Sam Curtis went for a run on the last. Once again, she fell short and a run out was inflicted.

Four wickets in an over, of which the bowler is to be credited for one- this is quite a rare incident in cricket of the topmost level. In the 18th over, the White Ferns scored just 3 runs and lost 4 wickets. Hence, they could only reach 150. However, it was too big a target for Pakistan, as all the women in green could manage was a mere 111 runs, that too losing 7 wickets. This was the second T20I of the series, and New Zealand have won both.