| Scorecard: | New Zealand Women v Pakistan Women |
| Event: | Pakistan Women in New Zealand 2016/17 |
A resurgent Pakistan reached its third-highest total in One-Day International cricket courtesy of a Pakistan record third-wicket stand of 117 between Javeria Khan and Bismah Maroof in the third ODI today but it wasnt enough to stop the New Zealand White Ferns charging to a 3-0 Series lead after Amy Satterthwaites second ODI century in as many matches secured an eight-wicket win, two more crucial IWC points and an unbeatable 3-0 Series lead at Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
Grabbing the chance to bat first after captain Sana Mir won the toss, Pakistan Womens 263/6 was also their highest total in eight ODIs against the White Ferns who suffered from an off-day with the ball and in the field in their biggest challenge yet of the Series, against an opponent who had never defeated them.
Opener Ayesha Zafar attacked from the outset in the first of the IWC points games, peeling twin boundaries from Hannah Rowes first over and another pair from the young pace bowlers second. It got the visitors off to a flier as they chalked up an unbroken 50-stand inside 10 overs, and the spinners, too, would suffer on a crisp early afternoon.
Thamsyn Newtons entry in the 12th produced a much-needed breakthrough, Amy Satterthwaite pocketing a superb running catch in the deep to stop Zafars assault on 30. When fellow opener Nahida Khan fell in the first of two runouts in the innings, the White Ferns had pegged it back to 83 for two in the 19th. However, another 21 overs would tick by before they would celebrate again, the experienced duo of first drop Javeria Khan (73 off 91) and Bismah Maroof combining for their best third-wicket stand.
Composed Maroof built her innings sweetly, lifting her strike rate in the last 15 overs and surviving a big shout against Thamsyn Newton on 74* as her team-mates built up their hopes that she might finally achieve an elusive One-Day International century to go with her 11 half-centuries. But, by the end of the 50th over, the Pakistani number four would be left unbeaten on 91 (off 98 balls, including seven boundaries) and now has the bittersweet record of more scores in the nineties than any other woman in ODI cricket, including a 99 v South Africa in 2015 and 92 v Bangladesh.
While the Pakistani Women could take tremendous encouragement from their controlled performance with the bat, a required run rate of 5.28 would prove insufficient to daunt an in-form White Ferns top order as the sun emerged.
Captain Suzie Bates (74 off 88) led the way early, dominating a 60-run stand for the first wicket with Rachel Priest, before going on to a 102-run partnership with Satterthwaite for the second.
First drop Satterthwaite and Katey Martin who raced to her fourth ODI half century in five matches with a 45-ball effort then poured on an unbroken 105 off 85 balls for the third wicket, Satterthwaite (115 not out off 101 balls) polishing off the winning runs in the 43rd over with consecutive boundaries off Asmavia Iqbal and collecting her second Player of the Match award on the trot.
The White Ferns lead the five-match Series 3-0 and the IWC points games 1-0. Both teams now head to Nelsons Saxton Oval for the fourth ODI on Thursday 17 November.
(Article: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only.
Copyright © 2016 New Zealand Cricket)