England set a record with a record 114 lap win against Pakistan in the final group match of the Women’s T20 World Cup in Cape Town.
Heather Knightside had already qualified for the semi-finals ahead of the game, but showed no signs of slowing down and became the first side of the tournament to score more than 200 points in one hit.
Nat Sciver-Brunt England hit Pakistan undefeated 81 from just 40 balls as they set Pakistan to 214 wins.
Pakistan fell far behind target, with England beating South Africa’s 113-round win against Thailand in 2020, sending yet another record with the tournament’s largest ever margin of victory.
England won the toss and, as they wanted to continue, Danni Wyatt chose the stick starting when she hit the two borders in the first go.
Despite losing to Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey in the power play and being 33 at two, England rebounded to great effect with Wyatt’s seven-fours and two-sixes hitting 33 balls with 59 and Sciver-Brunt scoring 74 points.
Heather Knight came and went cheap, but Sciver-Brunt, who hit 12 fours and sixes overall, shared a century-old partnership with Amy Jones, who scored 47 points from 31 deliveries before throwing the final ball in her half-century quest.
Pakistan’s line and length were at times rebellious, especially a top from Fatima Sana that included two full-bodied shots, but England cleverly manipulated the field and played all over the ball.
Jones had said before the match that England did not yet have a “full performance”, but they took nine goals in the second innings, capping Pakistan with just 99 runs.
Katherine Sciver-Brunt had a tough match against India, including a costly final, but she hit it off in her first match against Pakistan.
Then, Muneeba Ali, who scored the tournament’s only century so far in Pakistan’s win over Ireland last week, was able to beat Charlie Dean against Jones by scoring just three goals.
Pakistan fell to 99 out of nine after the loss of the first two rooks, with Katherine Sciver-Brunt and Dean taking one more wicket each.
Pakistan has also been punished for some bad decision making with a double escape, including a terrible mess for the eighth wicket dominated by England.