At 67 for 5 in the 12th over, Pakistan  were under the cosh against Bqngladesh  in their bronze-medal playoff at the  Asian Games women’s competition. That’s when Fatima  Sana  walked out, slammed 45 in 30 balls, and gave Pakistan 145, which was 31 too many for Bangladesh, especially after Umm-e-Hani picked up three top- and middle-order wickets to end with 3 for 10 from her four overs.

Bangladesh’s big concern, of  late and in general, has been the number of dot balls they play out in a typical T20 innings. In this game, it was a marginal improvement from the loss to India in the semi-final – they had 43 dot balls here compared to 61 in that game. But it was still fewer than the 48 they bowled to Pakistan in the first half. The difference was Sana, who scored at 150.00 to change the complexion of the contest.

Pakistan’s start had been decent, thanks to Gull  Feroza, after they won the toss and opted to bat. Feroza and Shawaal Zulfiqar added 46 in 41 balls before being separated in the seventh over. The one to be dismissed was Feroza, who had scored 31 in 23 balls. Zulfiqar batted on before becoming the third batter to fall, having struggled to 17 off 27 balls. And the wickets kept falling, Shorna Akter picking up two of them to leave Pakistan in a mess with five batters gone.

Sana had a solid stand for the sixth wicket with Aliya Riyaz,  who scored 25 in 22 balls and added 67 with Sana in just 43 balls. The control Bangladesh had was gone with the two hitting five sixes between them.

The target for Bangladesh, which looked like it might be in the region of 100, was suddenly closer to 150. And the chase never took off. Umm-e-Hani struck in the third over, then in the fifth over, and again in the 16th over. By then, Bangladesh were floundering: 77 for 5 with under five overs to go.

The resistance came from senior pro Sharmin Akther,  who scored an unbeaten 46 in 45 balls, but there was nothing around her, and Pakistan ran out comfortable, 31-run victors.

Scores:

Pakistan women  145 for 8 in 20 overs  (Shawaal Zulfiqar 17,  Fatima Sana 45, Gull Feroza 31, Aliya Riyaz 25; Sanija Akter Meghla 1-28, Nahida Akter 2-21, Shorna Akter 2-16, Ritu Moni 2-27) beat Bangladesh women 114 for 7 in 20 overs (Dilara Akter 12, Nigar Sultana 25, Sharmin Akhter 46*, Nahida Akter 10*; Tasmia  Rubab 1-25, Fatima Sana 1-25, Umm-e-Hani 3-10, Nashra Sandhu 1-19, Ayesha Zafar 1-10) by 31 runs  

(Cricinfo)

Sri Lanka’s bloated first class structure is set for a major overhaul, with the number of teams in the top tier to be trimmed from 14 to ten over the next two years as part of sweeping reforms aimed at raising standards in domestic cricket.

The Cricket Transformation Committee announced the move yesterday as part of its broader programme to restructure the game.

For years, one of the biggest criticisms of Sri Lanka’s domestic cricket has been the large number of teams competing at first class level, resulting in the country’s best talent being spread too thinly. The latest move is intended to bring the leading players together in a more competitive environment and make the jump from club cricket to the international game less daunting.

The Transformation Committee believes concentrating the best players among fewer teams will improve the overall quality of competition while strengthening the pathway to the national side.

Another significant change will see the top tier first class tournament revert to four day cricket. First class matches are currently played over three days, but the committee believes extending them by a day will provide players with better preparation for Test cricket.

The move addresses a long standing concern in Sri Lankan cricket, where players graduating to the Test side have often had limited exposure to the demands of four day cricket at domestic level. Longer games should place greater emphasis on ability of bowlers to take 20 wickets rather than encouraging the helter skelter approach often associated with three day cricket.

A more structured domestic calendar is also being drawn up, with proper rest periods incorporated to reduce injuries and player burnout. The committee believes a settled calendar will also allow clubs, coaches and broadcasters to plan well in advance.

Attention is also being turned towards the quality of pitches, another area that has come under scrutiny over the years. An experienced National Curator has been recruited following an independent interview process led by former ICC Head Curator Andy Atkinson, while curators at Sri Lanka’s international venues have been brought directly under SLC.