Pakistan Prevail, West Indies stunned by spirited Scotland in Women's World Cup Qualifier opener

Lahore [Pakistan], April 9 (ANI): Pakistan kicked off their ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2025 campaign with a hard-fought win over Ireland, while West Indies were left stunned by a spirited Scotland despite a valiant effort from Hayley Matthews, on an eventful opening day of the tournament, according to the ICC.
The results meant Pakistan and Scotland occupy the top two spots in the standings.
Ireland won the toss and put the hosts to bat. The Pakistan openers got off to a shaky start as Feroza Gull perished for 4 in the second over off Jane Maguire as she attempted to beat the fielder on the off-side.
However, fellow opener Muneeba Ali (32) stuck around until the 21st over as she wove a brilliant partnership with Sidra Amin (51) to stabilise the Pakistan innings.
Aliya Riaz joined the fray in the 22nd over and she went on the offense against the Irish bowlers with a strong 52 off 58.
The tournament hosts had reached a formidable 175/4 in the 42nd over, but encountered a slide thereafter to finish at 217, losing six wickets in the final Powerplay. They were bowled out in the 49th over.
Maguire was the pick of the Ireland bowling attack, scalping 3/33 off her 10 overs, including 44 dot balls.
After a safe start to their chase, Ireland's chase found wings courtesy thanks to Gaby Lewis (44) and Amy Hunter. Nashra Sundhu then got the hosts back into the game by exploiting the uneven bounce and turn of the wicket, getting three breakthroughs in the middle overs.
Sandhu's strikes were supplemented by Diana Baig's incisive bowling, and her four wickets put Pakistan on the top. The home side won the contest by 38 runs.
After the West Indies elected to field, Scotland openers Abbie Aitken-Drummond (21) and Darcey Carter (25) got off to a positive start as they posted a 48-run partnership and set up the base for the innings.
However, West Indies struck back via captain Hayley Matthews, who snared Aitken-Drummond and Scottish skipper Kathryn Bryce in the 12th and 14th over.
Megan McColl joined Sarah Bryce thereafter as the duo went about stabilising the Scottish innings through the middle overs with a strong partnership of 82 runs - Bryce scored a positive 55 (56), which included six boundaries, and McColl put up 45 (44) with five boundaries.
Strikes in the middle overs, meant that Scotland found themselves at 194/6 in the 37th over. But a late flurry from Katherine Fraser (25*) and Priyanaz Chatterji (15) guided them to 244.
Scotland were, however, not able to bat their quota of overs, as West Indies bowled them out by the 45th over mark.
Matthews led her side's bowling efforts, finishing with a magnificent 4/56 off her 10 overs after she sent the entire Scotland top-order back to the dugout. Aaliyah Alleyne and Karishma Ramharack played supporting acts as they finished with figures of 2/31 and 2/46 respectively.
Matthews then took control with the bat, and despite an early loss (Qiana Joseph for a duck), helped West Indies march forward in the chase along with Zaida James (45).
West Indies reached 120/1 before James fell, and thereafter, Scotland got back into the contest with a flurry of wickets. However, Matthews continued her fight and closed in on a remarkable hundred.
There was a moment of concern for West Indies when Matthews went off the field due to injury. However, as the West Indies innings was derailed and the eighth wicket fell, Matthews returned to continue the fight despite being in evident pain. The player was, however, forced to stretcher off the pitch due to her injury.
When Ramharack was dismissed to leave Windies struggling at 203/9, Scotland began celebrating. However, Matthews returned, and went on to score her ninth ODI hundred. Despite her evident struggles, Matthews kept at it, with Aaliyah Alleyne providing good support.
The duo managed to get their side close to the target and it seemed the momentum was with West Indies, but Abtaha Maqsood turned it around by trapping Alleyne leg before. West Indies were 11 short, and Matthews was left stranded at 114*. (ANI)