Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Ashleigh Gardner destroys Pakistan batting

The 27-year-old Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner was the star during the first innings of the Australia Women vs Pakistan Women match in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Dubai hosted this crucial Group A match, where Australia Women captain Alyssa Healy chose to bowl first. Pakistan Women were bundled out for only 82 runs in 19.5 overs.

No solid Pakistan partnership

Pakistan Women struggled in the powerplay as they scored 23/2 at the end of the powerplay. Their batting continuously struggled after the powerplay, and in the slog overs, the Aussie off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner had a destructive role with the ball.

There was no solid partnership between the Pakistan batters. The highest partnership in that innings was for 19 runs between Aliya Riaz and Iram Javed. For the next wicket (seventh wicket), Riaz had another 18-run partnership with Tuba Hassan, but those partnerships weren't enough for Pakistan Women. Only Aliya Riaz managed to reach the 20-run mark in that innings as the right-handed batter scored 26 runs off 32 balls with the help of three fours.

Ashleigh Gardner claimed a four-fer

Among the Aussie bowlers, off-spinner Ashleigh Gardner picked up four wickets. She took all four wickets in the slog overs, including three wickets in her last over. She ended with the bowling figures of 4-0-21-4.

Gardner first broke the highest runs partnership in that innings by dismissing Iram Javed (12) in her third over. In her next or last over, Gardner dismissed Tuba Hassan (3), Syeda Aroob Shah (1), and Nasra Sandhu (0). The off-spinner took the wickets of Syeda and Sandhu on her last two balls.

Talking about the other Aussie bowlers, Annabel Sutherland (2/15) and Georgia Wareham (2/16) bagged two wickets each, while Megan Schutt (1/7) and Sophie Molineux (1/19) took one wicket each.