India trounce Pakistan in first women's cricket match by AFP

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Ground:	Aitchison College Ground, Lahore
Scorecard:	Pakistan Women v India Under-21s Women
Player:	Nabeela Gulzar, Shamsa Hashmi, Armaan Khan
Event:	India Under-21s Women in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 28th September 2005

 

India scored an easy 33-run victory against hosts Pakistan Wednesday as the first ever women's cricket series between the two cricket-mad countries got underway.

 

India's Under-21 team cashed in on some sloppy bowling and fielding by the novice Pakistani women team to finish with 168-5 in their allotted 40 overs including 40 extras.

 

The highlight of the tourists' innings was a knock of 58 from Diana David.

 

Right-arm medium-pace bowler Nabila Gulzar chipped in with 2-20 for Pakistan in the first match of four played at the Aitchison College ground in the Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore.

 

India's junior team is scheduled to play four one-dayers during their week-long tour of Pakistan, the first by any women sport's team across the border.

 

The home team fumbled after a confident start when four of their players were run out and the entire team was bundled out for 135 in the 38th over. Captain Shamsa Hashmi top-scored with 30 and Armana Khan hit 29.

 

Indian captain Karuna Jain gave credit to the Pakistan side for a hard fight.

 

"It was a tough match and although Pakistan have recently started playing at higher level they put up a brave fight and made us tense at moments," Jain told AFP.

 

Pakistan's captain Hashmi blamed too many extras and sloppy running for their defeat.

 

The two sides will meet again in Lahore for the remaining three matches on September 29, October 1 and October 2.

 

Both India and Pakistan wore the respective blue and green colours worn by the men in the one-day arena instead of the white kits reserved for Test matches.

 

But to avoid protests from religious hardliners, the Pakistani women followed an Islamic dress code, wearing baggy trousers and long shirts, while the spectators included only family members.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)