A composed century from Beth Mooney rescued Australia from a precarious position as they reached 221 for nine in their ICC Women’s World Cup match against Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday.
Opting to bowl first, Pakistan’s bowlers struck early through Diana Baig (3-74) and Nashra Sandhu (3-37), leaving the defending champions reeling at 61 for five. The top order once again struggled for rhythm, with Alyssa Healy (20), Phoebe Litchfield (10) and Ellyse Perry (5) all dismissed inside the first 15 overs.
At 76 for seven, Australia were in serious trouble before Mooney led a remarkable recovery. The left-hander paced her innings with precision, crafting a brilliant 109 off 114 balls with 11 boundaries. Her calm approach in the face of Pakistan’s disciplined bowling steadied the innings when collapse loomed.
Alana King played a major hand in the turnaround, striking 51 off 49 deliveries — the highest score ever made by a batter at No. 10 or lower in women’s ODIs. Together, Mooney and King added crucial lower-order runs that pulled Australia from the brink and gave their total some substance.
Kim Garth also played a steadying role, helping rebuild after the early collapse before Pakistan’s spinners tightened their grip again. For much of the first 30 overs, Pakistan were outstanding with the ball, maintaining tight lines and sharp fielding support, while wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz impressed with a sharp display behind the stumps.
Among the other bowlers, Fatima Sana (2-49) and Rameen Shamim (2-32) maintained control during the middle overs, ensuring that Australia never ran away with the scoring.
Pakistan, still searching for their first win of the tournament after defeats to Bangladesh and India, will need a composed batting effort to chase down 222 and keep their campaign alive.
