Fatima Sana kept the spectators in Karachi in constant thrall with the fastest half-century in women’s T20Is as Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 133 runs in the third and final match to secure an emphatic 3-0 series win.
Coming in lower down the order, she smashed 62 not out off just 19 balls, including 10 fours and 2 sixes, and brought up an epoch-making fifty in only 15 deliveries. Her knock lifted Pakistan to 223 for 4, their second-best total in women’s T20Is.
Pakistan had earlier built a rock-solid base through Ayesha Zafar’s 45 and a quick 58-run opening partnership between Muneeba Ali and Zafar. Saira Jabeen then added an unbeaten 50, but the innings truly took off in the final overs as Fatima dominated, hitting boundaries at will and putting on an ebullient partnership of 71 off 22 balls with Saira.
Zimbabwe aced the early exchanges in the chase thanks to Kelis Ndhlovu’s 32 off 13 but could not keep the momentum going. Once she fell, wickets came in clusters as Sadia Iqbal and Nashra Sandhu led the spin attack to bowl Zimbabwe out for 90 in 17.1 overs.
Brief scores: Pakistan 223/4 in 20 overs (Fatima Sana 62*, Saira Jabeen 50*) beat Zimbabwe 90 all out in 17.1 overs (Kelis Ndhlovu 32; Sadia Iqbal 3-20, Nashra Sandhu 2-21) by 133 runs.
