By Lakshman Ranasinghe 

A massive second-wicket partnership of 144 runs by Sidra Ameen and skipper Bismah Maroof guided Pakistan Women to score an easy eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Women in the first ODI played at Karachchi on Wednesday.

Chasing a Sri Lankan total of 169 the Pakistani pair reached the target in 41st over as the Lankan bowlers failed to trouble any Paksistanis as they romped home with 8.1 overs to spare.

The pair joining together at the fall of the first wicket at 25 went on to score freely making the Lankan bowlers toil hard on a slow turning wicket. Ameen scored 76 and was dismissed
with the score at 169 in the 41st over. 

Ameen’s 76 runs came off in 118 deliveries which included with seven sweetly timed fours while skipper Maroof’ faced 101 deliveries for her unbeaten 76 was fashioned with five hits to the ropes.

Earlier Sri Lanka skipper Athapaththu won the toss and decided to bat with the wicket looked on the slow turning side. Sri Lanka lost the first wicket early as Hansima Karunaratne joining skipper Athapaththu and the pair added 40 runs for the second wicket and with the exit of Athapaththu and Karunaratne in 15th over and then came a 4th wicket partnership of 50 runs by Prasadini Weerakkody and Nilakshi De Silva.

With the dismissals of both batters wickets started to tumble at regular intervals as slow left arm orthodox spinner Sadia Iqubal and right arm leg spinner Ghulan Fatima took control of the attack.

Young Kavisha Dilhara staged a lone battle to remain unbeaten with a solid 49 as wickets tumbled around her.

Pakistan go one up in the three match series and have won four matches out of the recent six encounters while Sri Lanka had won in two outings.

Chief scores 
Sri Lanka Women 169 in 47.5 overs (C. Athapaththu 25, Hansima Karunaratne 12, Prasadini Weerakkody 30, Nilakshi De Silva 16, Kavisha Dilhari 49 n.o., Sadia Iqubal 2 for 30, Ghulan Fathima 4 for 21, Fathima Sana 2 for 24)
Pakistan Women 170 for 2 in 41.5 overs (Muneeba Ali 14, Sidra Ameen 76, Bismah Maroof 62 n.o., Achini Kulasuriya 1 for 13, Oshadie Ranasinghe 1 for 35)

Photo: Sidra Ameen top scored for Pakistan Women (File photo - ICC)