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Fatima Sana becomes the first Pakistan pacer to take 50 WT20I wickets

by mishaalmubarak

Fast-bowling all-rounder Fatima Sana now has 50 WT20I wickets, which is the most by a Pakistan pacer. The 24-year-old pacer reached the milestone against India in Pakistan's opening Women's T20 World Cup game.

Fatima grabs two against India

She took two wickets in the game, one of which was the Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, while the other was Richa Ghosh, her 50th scalp. Ghosh had turned India's fate in the previous over by scoring 18 runs off four balls. 

Although Fatima was able to end her cameo with a brilliant cross-seam delivery, the damage she had intended to impose was already done.

The tally, which she took 56 innings to achieve, puts her as the seventh highest wicket-taker in Pakistan's history, with Nida Dar leading the charts with 144 WT20I wickets. Fatima has a 27.44 average in T20Is, with a career-best of 4/26 against Ireland last year.

Pakistan collapse in World Cup opener

Despite the milestone, Fatima could not see her side home against India as Pakistan suffered a batting collapse on their way to chasing 171 runs. Eventually, they lost the game by 64 runs against India, and the task ahead hardly gets any easier. 

Pakistan have yet to face South Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands in their group stage games. The defeat against India has narrowed their margin of error significantly.

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