Sports
Hayley Matthews dominates with bat and ball as West Indies go 2-0 up
Another dominant all-round performance from Hayley Mathews helped West Indies women take a 2-0 series lead against Pakistan in Karachi. Muneeba Ali had scored a half-century earlier in the evening, but Matthews registered figures of 3 for 25 to stall Pakistan’s innings and keep them to a below-par total. She then doubled as match-winner with the bat, too, her 58 off 43 all but ensuring the visitors’ chase would be a straightforward one, and that Pakistan would continue to remain winless.
Having missed out on chasing a near-identical score in the first T20I, Pakistan opted to bat first this time, only to see their innings fall into early peril. Gull Feroza struggled to get the ball off the square in a tortuous 29-ball 14 with Chinelle Henry in particular causing her considerable trouble. She struck to remove Sidra Ameen early, with the pressure of run-scoring falling onto Muneeba, and as a result, Pakistan limped to a mere 33 in the powerplay.
Muneeba injected some impetus into the innings, but her 47-ball 55 was the only Pakistan effort that went at better than a run a ball. An encouraging third-wicket partnership with Nida Dar was felled at a crucial moment in the 16th over, just as Pakistan may have felt they had the platform to launch at the death. A masterful final over by Matthews saw three wickets fall and just five runs scored as Pakistan’s effort ended tamely, the home side hobbling to 121 on a pitch that looked like it offered significantly more.
Matthews aside, though, West Indies never really managed to get on top of the Pakistan bowlers either. The visitors did get off to a fast start, flying to 38 in the first five, but it was something of a one-woman show, with Matthews striking all five of West Indies’ boundaries in this time. When the spin trio of Nashra Sandhu, Tuba Hassan and Nida Dar came on, Pakistan briefly regained some control, with West Indies reduced to scoring at just over six an over for the next six overs.
But it was wickets Pakistan needed, and West Indies were never required to take the risks that gave them a glimpse. By the time Sadia Iqbal prised Matthews out, West Indies needed just 34 to win, and had more than seven overs to do it in. When Shemaine Campbelle was cleaned up by Tuba, there may have been the faintest glimmer of hope for the home side, but the visitors were much too clinical, and had run Pakistan out of road by then. When Chedean Nation sealed the win with a boundary, both sides were going through the motions, and there was a sense of a formality being completed.
The third of five T20Is is on 30 April in Karachi, with a win for West Indies guaranteeing a series victory.
Brief scores:
West Indies Women 124 for 3 in 18.2 overs( Hayley Matthews 58, Shemaine Campbelle 21; Sadia Iqbal 1-24, Diana Baig 1-22, Tuba Hassan 1-26) beat Pakistan Women 121 for 7 in 20 overs (Muneeba Ali 55; Chinell Henry 1-15, Hayley Matthews 3-26, Afy Fletcher 1-23, Karishma Ramharak 1-21) by seven wickets
(Cricinfo)
Ireland Women 118/9 in 20 overs (Alana Dalzelle 14, Orla Prendergast 26, Leah Paul 10, Alice Tector 10, Louise Little 26*; Lauren Bell 1-39, Linsey Smith 1-20, Sophie Ecclestone 3-22, Charlie Dean 2-11, Dani Gibson 2-10) lost to England Women 119/6 in 17.3 overs (Dani Wyatt Hodge 16, Nat Sciver-Brunt 48, Heather Knight 26; Aimee Maguire 2-23, Orla Prendergast 2-17) by 4 wickets
Lionel Messi marked his record sixth World Cup appearance with his first hat-trick at a FIFA tournament as Argentina beat Algeria 3-0 to open the defence of their global crown, he also became the joint highest scorer at World Cups with the feat.
The former 38-year-old forward thought he had opened the scoring in the eighth minute in Kansas City on Tuesday when he slotted home from close range, but the offside flag was raised.
The dream start to his record-setting appearance, which will be matched by Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal against DR Congo on Wednesday, was not to be denied for long though.
A trademark, mazy run was capped by a drive on the edge of the box from that famed left foot. The power too much for Algeria keeper Luca Zidane, son of World Cup winner with France, Zinidine.
Messi doubled his tally on the hour mark with a simple tap in from a rebound off the keeper following a drive from Alexis Mac Allister.
The moment that even a player as decorated as Messi came in the 76th minute when he drilled low past the keeper from just outside the box.
The strike took Messi level with former Germany striker Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals.
His substitution came just three minutes later to a standard ovation, even old maestro seemed disappointed to be removed – and most likely rested for Argentina’s tilt at becoming only the third side to defend a World Cup title.
Algeria – the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winners – offered little, but were themselves denied an early goal when Fares Chaibi’s ninth minute strike was ruled out for offside.
Messi saw to it that there was no opening game upset to be had tat this edition, having lost their opening game at Qatar 2022 to Saudi Arabia.
Messi, who spent the majority of his club career in Spain with Barcelona before moving to French giants Paris-Saint Germain, plys his trade in US football’s Major League Soccer with Inter Miami.
Jordan and Austria open their account in the group later on Tuesday in San Francisco.
[Aljazeera]
Iran twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with New Zealand in an exciting World Cup clash at Los Angeles Stadium as protests against Tehran’s government and a peace deal signed to end the US-Iran war formed a charged backdrop to the match.
High security presence and protests outside the venue were among the off-field concerns surrounding the match on Monday.
And when New Zealand took an early lead through Elijah Just’s volleyed shot from inside the box, after being set up by Chris Wood, some fans critical of the Iranian government celebrated with New Zealand supporters.
Many of these anti-regime spectators also carried Iran’s pre-Islamic Revolution Lion and Sun flag, against FIFA’s rules. Several also booed Iran’s national anthem before kickoff.
But most of the crowd of more than 70,000 appeared firmly behind Team Melli, chanting “Ir-ran! Ir-ran!” and erupting when Ramin Rezaeian equalised shortly after the half-hour mark.
Rezaeian, one of several Iran players who had not played club football since February after the domestic league was suspended amid US and Israeli air strikes, reacted quickest to a blocked shot and poked the ball past the advancing goalkeeper.
Wood and Just combined again early in the second half, the New Zealand captain sliding a precise pass into the 26-year-old forward’s path before Just hammered home to restore the All Whites’ lead.
Iran responded 10 minutes later with a superb goal from Mohammad Mohebbi, who headed Rezaeian’s perfect cross in off the far post to make it 2-2.
The stalemate means all the teams in Group G have one point after Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt earlier on Monday.
New Zealand, making their third appearance at the tournament, remain without a win at a World Cup after seven matches. Iran are looking to reach the knockout round for the first time.
The match laid bare divisions among Iranian American fans, many of whom said they felt torn between pride at seeing Iran on the sport’s biggest stage, anger over Tehran’s crackdown on protesters and concern over Washington’s bombing campaign.
Before kickoff, about 300 to 500 protesters gathered outside the stadium, waving anti-government signs and flags.
Some Iranian Americans had said attending the match would imply support for Iran’s government, while others said they wanted to set politics aside and support the players.
Iran will next return to Los Angeles to face Belgium on Sunday when New Zealand take on Egypt in Vancouver.
[Aljazeera]
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