Pakistan survive Thailand scare to make Asian Games semi-finals

Two-time gold medalists Pakistan survived a mighty scare from Thailand in a rain-reduced game and scampered their way to the Women's Asian Games semi-finals with a tense three-wicket win. Pakistan were set a stiff target of 92 in 11 overs and they clinched the topsy-turvy game with a few clusters of boundaries towards the end even as wickets fell at regular intervals that kept Thailand's hopes alive until the last over.

Pakistan will now face Bangladesh in the semi-final on September 20.

But the rest of the chase was hardly straightforward. Sana holed out at the start of the next over which saw just three runs to make the equation 16 to get from 12. When Eyman Fatima also handed a catch in the 10th over and Pakistan needed 15 from 10, Tuba Hassan struck a six and a four off consecutive balls to leave Pakistan just four runs away with seven balls to go.

Hassan was also caught at the boundary - at fine leg - at the end of the 10th over but Eman Naseer and Umm-e-Hani took four risk-free singles off the next four balls to avoid any more stutters.

The match earlier got delayed by nearly two hours because of a wet outfield. When the toss happened and Pakistan opted to bowl, it was Thailand who seized the advantage. They were 20 for 1 in the reduced powerplay of 3.2 overs in which Sana removed the experienced Natthakan Chantham before No. 3 Nannapat Koncharoenkai took off with shots all around the park. She picked up pace mainly after the sixth over with back-to-back fours off Umm-e-Hani for a 14-run over and was helped by some big hits from captain Naruemol Chaiwai at the other end. Koncharoenkai raced towards her fifty with a reverse-lap off Sana in the last over but fell on 49 off 38 when she was trapped right in front by a full delivery for which she went back and across, but missed.

Opener Shawaal Zulfiqar gave Pakistan a cracking start with three fours and a six in the first three overs. But that was just the start of the thriller in the making that swung wildly as Thailand fought back with four quick wickets in the space of 14 balls for just 11 runs. Zulfiqar handed a return catch to offspinner Onnicha Kamchomphu, No. 3 Ayesha Zafar fell for 1, and the other opener Gull Feroza stepped out against Kamchomphu to be stumped for 16 before Aliya Riaz was also caught off the same bowler.

Pakistan were now 47 for 4 with 45 runs to get from 30 before Sana's clean strikes turned the game Pakistan's way in the eighth over and they went over the line after some nervy last few overs.