Scotland ended their WWC Qualifying campaign with a heavy 6 wicket defeat by Pakistan after posting only 91, their lowest total of the campaign.

Winning the toss and electing to bat Scotland had reached 38 for the loss of 3 wickets but with Rachel Scholes and Kari Anderson at the crease the Scots had hopes of another of their solid partnerships.

It was not to be this time and with Sana Mir bowling her 10 overs for a miserly 14 runs and taking 5 wickets into the bargain Scotland were bowled out in the 40th over for 91 their lowest score in the tournament by some 50 runs.

The Pakistan reply started briskly, Nahima Khan and Nain Abidi putting on 40 in 12 overs.

Kirstie Gordon broke the stand with the wicket of Abidi caught by Kathryn Bryce and when she bowled Maroof next ball, Scottish hopes were lifted.

It was another case of ‘one brings two’ when, with the score on 55, Gordon bowled opener Khan and then Zafar in consecutive deliveries.

Again a glimmer of hope for the Scots but it was quickly extinguished as Javeira Khan powered Pakistan over the line with 5 boundaries in her almost run a ball 35*

So the end of the road for Scotland who do not make it to the Super Sixes and return home with just the close win over PNG to show for their troubles.

Their preferred game plan was to bat first and build a total to defend and in the sauna like conditions in Colombo this is a sound tactic where batting second after a withering 50 overs in the field is more than a challenge.
However they were never able to post a total that was going to challenge their ‘big’ team opponents and that will surely need to be addressed in their plans going forward.

20th February at Colombo CC

Scotland 91-10 (39.1 overs; Sandhu 3-8, Mir 5-14)

Pakistan 94-4 (27.1 overs; Javeria Khan 35*, Nain Abidi 21; Gordon 4-29)

Pakistan won by 6 wickets.