After Laura Wolvaardt’s 58 helped the Proteas post 201 in the final ODI in Durban, Sune Luus, Ayabonga Khaka and Shabnim Ismail chipped in with 3 wickets each to ensure a 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan, writes Emily Norris.
Pakistan won the toss in the 3rd ODI, electing to bowl first for the third time in the series. They had three early chances putting down Laura Wolvaardt twice and Lizelle Lee once, enabling the Momentum Proteas to put together a 79-run partnership for the first wicket.
While on 49, Lee chipped the ball straight to the cover fielder, Diana Baig, narrowly missing out on her 50 for the second time in the series. She was dismissed by Nashra Sandhu.
Wolvaardt got to her first 50 of the series, scoring 58 off 72 balls, before being dismissed by Baig, caught behind down the leg side.
A middle-order collapse followed from the Proteas, with the number 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9 batters putting on just 40 runs.
Trisha Chetty and Ayabonga Khaka put on a partnership of 26 runs before Chetty was dismissed off the first ball of the last over for 34 runs off 43 balls, trying to go over the top of cover.
Baig ended with career-best figures of 4-30 from her 10 overs, as the Momentum Proteas limped to 201 off their 50 overs.
In pursuit, the Pakistan Women lost two early wickets, as has been the trend for them throughout the series.
Shabnim Ismail took both of these wickets upfront, dismissing Nahida Khan and Omaima Sohail. She took another wicket, that of the dangerous Aliya Riaz, lighting up the bails. She ended with figures of 3/22 (9).
Ismail, Luus and Khaka all took 3 wickets respectively. Luus took the crucial wickets of captain, Javeria Khan, Nida Dar, and Kainat Imtiaz, to take her to 100 ODI wickets and ended with figures of 3/35 (10).
Ayabonga Khaka took a brilliant catch off her own bowling, diving to her right to dismiss wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz. She also dismissed Baig and Anam Amin, ending with figures of 3/29 in 9 overs.
This clinical bowling performance and a much better fielding performance is what enabled the Momentum Proteas to win the game.
The South African Women won by 32 runs and the series 3-0.
Photo: Steve Haag/BackpagePix
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