Chennai, March 27 (IANS) England's women entered the World Twenty20 semi-finals with a 68-run thumping victory over Pakistan in a Group B match at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Sunday.
With this win, England collected four wins from as many matches to top the group, while West Indies, who earlier in the day defeated hosts India, finished second and entered the semi-finals.
Pakistan finished their campaign with two wins to be third, while India were fourth with a win. Bangladesh were fifth with no wins.
Pakistan, coming into the match with a must-win situation to bring the net run rate into play to decide the semi-finalists, failed with both bat and the ball.
England captain Charlotte Edwards won the toss, and decided to bat and she inspired her team to a total of 148/5 with a stupendous 77 off 61 deliveries. It was the 36-year-old right-hander's 11th fifty in T20Is.
She got good support from her fellow opening batswoman Tammy Beaumont (37 off 26). They put up a 68-run stand for the first wicket in nine overs. Danielle Wyatt (17) and Natalie Sciver (15) also contrubuted.
For Pakistan, off-spinner Nida Dar was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 21 runs, while right-arm medium pacer Asmavia Iqbal chipped in with two wickets for 18 runs. Left-arm spinner Anam Amin proved costly, giving away 36 runs in three overs.
Chasing 148, Pakistan hardly got any kind of momentum as they were bowled out for 80 in 17.5 overs. They succumbed to medium pacers Laura Marsh (3/12), Georgia Elwiss (2/9) and Sciver (2/22).
The batting of Pakistan was so woeful that Nida top-scored with 16, while Asmavia Iqbal and Nahida Khan scored 15 each.
Brief scores: England 148/5 (Charlotte Edwards 77, Tammy Beaumont 37; Nida Dar 3/21, Asmavia 2/18). Pakistan: 80 (Nida 16; Laura Marsh 3/12, Georgia Elwiss 2/9, Natalie Sciver 2/22).
