Women fall short to Pakistan at World Cup while young Canadian star reaches new heights

BY KAYLA KARIM

The women’s West Indies team was in action earlier this week at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup at Canberra against Pakistan. 

The Windies women made 124 runs, not having the greatest start, losing their first wicket on the very first ball of the match. After that wicket, the women weren’t able to regain their momentum. Although Stefanie Taylor (43) and Shemaine Campbell (43) had a decent partnership (63) runs, for the fourth wicket, it wasn’t enough only able to post 124-7 in 20 overs. 

Pakistan was able to easily chase the 124 that West Indies posted with help from Diana Baig, Javeria Khan, and captain Bismah Maroof. The opening pair of Muneeba Ali and Javeria Khan made it look easy adding 58 runs for the first wicket. Javeria got out for 35 followed by Ali for 25 but the skipper Bismah Maroof and middle-order batter, Nida Dar held their ends and reached the target with ten balls to spare. Baig claimed two wickets while Anam Amin bagged one. Dar and Aiman Anwer were able to get two wickets each. 

Pakistan will now take on South Africa on Sunday, March 1st, 2020 at Sydney Showground Stadium while West Indies will face England. 

Meanwhile, in Canada, Hars Thaker has been named as one of the fourteen cricketers who will represent Canada at the March 14-27 Malaysia hosted International Cricket Conference (ICC) Cricket World Cup Challenge League A. Thaker had an outstanding all-round performance both at bat and ball for Canada during last November’s St. Kitts hosted Zone A at the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Championships. 

As a batsman, he scored 223 runs from 8 innings, at a 31.85 average. Apart from the average chart-topping Nitish Kumar, Thaker was the only other Canadian batsman to score over two hundred runs and average above 30 during the Super50 Championships. 

With the ball, Thaker’s performances were even more impressive. He was undoubtedly Canada’s best bowler at the Super50 Tournament, capturing the most wickets (10) from 43 overs bowled. His 18.90 average was also the lowest among all of Canada’s bowlers.

This year’s Malaysia 2020 ICC CWC Challenge League A will be the second leg of the three-year 2019–2021 Tournament which forms part of the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualification process for the twelve teams that are ranked 21-32 in the ICC’s standings. The twelve teams have been split into two groups, with each group playing a six-team tournament on an annual basis. The top team in each group will advance to a 2022 playoff tournament. 

Canada’s 2020 Challenge League A opponents will be Denmark, Qatar, Singapore, Vanuatu and the Tournament hosts Malaysia. The Canadians will be hoping to extend the position they secured as league leaders having suffered just one loss, to Singapore, during in the 2019 Tournament to head Group A with eight points.