KARACHI – Invincibles overcame Challengers in a thrilling Super Over tussle, defending the 13-run target to register their first win in the National Women’s T20 tournament 2024-25 at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
In the last over of the chase, scores were tied with Invincibles’ Iram Javed hitting a six and a four against Sadaf Shamas on the last two balls of the 20th over to take their score to 145-5. In the Super Over, Ayesha Zafar hit a six in her three-ball eight, while Iram chipped in with four runs off three balls.
In turn, Challengers could only manage 10 runs, losing Sadaf and Aliya Riaz, who hit a boundary each, to Neha Sharmeen. Earlier, Challengers were helped to 145-9 in the allotted 20 overs as Natalia Parvaiz top-scored with a 22-ball 31, hitting two fours and two sixes, after walking in to bat at 69-4.
Aliya Riaz chipped in with a run-a-ball 24 with the help of four fours, while Yusra Amir hit two boundaries to add 23 runs off 22 balls to the Challengers total. Skipper Rameen Shamim also hit two fours in her 10-ball 16.
For Invincibles, Tania Saeed, Saima Malik and Omaima Sohail dismissed two batters each.
In pursuit of the target, player of the match Ayesha (54) and Muneeba (41) put on a solid 92-run opening stand before Zaib-un-Nisa Niaz dismissed both batters.
Challengers’ bowlers applied the squeeze by snapping wickets of Omaima Sohail (11) and Saiqa Riaz (1) as both were caught and bowled by Tasmia Rubab and Rameen, respectively.
Iram (30 not out) was helped to the strike on the fourth ball of the last over with Areesha Ansari taking a single before she tied the scores with two big hits.
In the other match of the fourth round, Fatima Sana-led Conquerors rolled over Strikers by a thumping 10-wicket margin as they chased the 68-run target in 9.4 overs with player of the match Saira Jabeen scoring 42 not out off 32 balls, hitting five fours and one six.
Hafsa Khalid chipped in with an unbeaten 23 off 24 balls, inclusive of four boundaries. Conquerors are now the only unbeaten team in the five-team tournament with three wins out of three games.
Earlier, Strikers slipped to 19-6 before stand-in skipper Umm-e-Hani (23) and Diana Baig (20) stitched a 35-run stand. Strikers registered the lowest score in the tournament as they were bowled out in 19 overs, with Humna Bilal and Syeda Aroob Shah taking two wickets each.
