Pakistan vs Barbados: With half-centuries to their credit, Hayley Matthews and Kycia Knight helped Barbados women defeat Pakistan by 15 runs to kick off their Commonwealth Games campaign on the right foot. Despite Nida Dar’s best efforts, the two innings helped Barbados reach 144 for 4 in 20 overs, which proved to be a difficult total for Pakistan to chase.

After choosing to bowl first, Bismah Maroof’s team had a great start to the match. Diana Baig dispatched the dangerous Deandra Dottin after she had already started with two goals in only the opening over. However, what came next was a 107-run partnership between Matthews and Knight off 98 deliveries, during which the captain reached a half-century in 48 balls.

She lost her grip and dropped for 51, but Knight went on to shoot a stroke-filled 62 off 56, which featured 9 fours. Barbados scored 38 runs in their final four overs, bringing them very near to the 150-run threshold.

Iram Javed, Pakistan’s opener, was lost on the first pitch of the game, and Pakistan’s shaky top-order ensured that they were always behind the eight ball in the chase. Sadly for Pakistan, it didn’t lead to a significant second-wicket stand as it did for their adversaries. Instead, Barbados continued to take wickets, and by the 11th over, Pakistan had lost four players, including skipper Maroof.

Dar attempted to revive the chase while working with Aliya Riaz, and the two of them even scored 69 runs for the fifth wicket, but their efforts fell short. In the end, Pakistan fell short by 15 runs despite Dar’s valiant, unbroken half-century off just 31 balls.

Brief scores: Pakistan Women 129/6 (Nida Dar 50*; Hayley Matthews 1-13) were defeated by 15 runs by Barbados Women 144/4 in 20 overs (Kycia Knight 62, Hayley Matthews 51, Fatima Sana 2-41).