Muneeba Ali Makes History with First Women’s Century in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup

Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, the Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter, made history by becoming the first Pakistani woman to score a hundred in a T20 international match.

Her century propelled her side to a crushing victory over Ireland in the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 at Newlands on Wednesday.

Muneeba’s superb knock of 102 runs was the second-highest score by any Pakistani in the T20Is, with only Ahmed Shehzad’s 111 runs being higher. It was also only the second century by any Pakistani in T20Is after Shehzad’s innings.

Muneeba hit 11 boundaries and three sixes in her inning and remained unbeaten, which made her the first Pakistani woman and the second cricketer overall to score 100 in a T20 international in Pakistan.

Muneeba Ali becomes first women cricketer to score 100 in T20Is

Muneeba led the charge for Pakistan, scoring 33 of the 44 runs she and Javeria Khan put on for the first wicket before Javeria was run out by Mary Waldron. Captain Bismah Maroof added only four runs to the 68 not out she made against India as Arlene Kelly’s fingertips just clung on to a low catch to reduce Pakistan to 55 for two. The wicket brought out Nida Dar, who played the patient role next to Muneeba, who brought up her half-century from 40 balls by surviving the first of two drops by Louise Little.

Muneeba began to put on a show for the crowd, as she brought up Pakistan’s one hundred by pulling Laura Delany on one knee for the second of back-to-back boundaries.

Nida was not to be outdone, dancing down the wicket to smash Cara Murray for six, but she could only watch as Muneeba raced past her best score of 75 to become Pakistan’s highest scorer in T20Is.

With eight balls of the innings remaining, Muneeba brought up her maiden T20I hundred, the sixth scored in ICC Women’s T20 World Cups. In an eventful over, the hundred partnership followed a ball later, before Muneeba departed for 102 runs from 67 balls off Leah Paul’s final delivery. Muneeba received a standing ovation and a hug from a beaming Bismah upon her return to the dugout.

Ireland’s steady collapse against Pakistan

In reply, Ireland struggled to chase the target of 166 runs set by Pakistan, stuttering as Nashra Sundhu picked up four wickets for 18 runs from her four overs. Orla Prendergast and Eimear Richardson’s contributions were not enough to stop their second defeat.

Ireland lost steady wickets due to lapses of concentration, starting with Amy Hunter, who departed in the second over as Nashra took a fine catch over her shoulder.

Prendergast gave Ireland a platform with a fluent 31, including back-to-back boundaries, but her luck ran out when she was caught by Sadia Iqbal for Nashra’s second wicket. Tuba Hassan then took her first World Cup wicket by dismissing Delany for eight.

Richardson was searching for a partner but could only watch on as Little was stumped by Muneeba for three. However, unperturbed, the right-hander started to find the boundary consistently, taking 16 runs off Aliya Riaz’s first over.

However, she was next to depart when attempting a scoop, before Javeria caught Waldron to give Nashra her best figures of four for 18 and reduce Ireland to 89 for seven. Unlike Ireland, Pakistan were sharp in the field, as Kelly departed for just one thanks to a low catch from Aiman Anwer. Murray and Paul were the final two victims as Pakistan