In a thrilling encounter at the Johor Cricket Academy Oval in Malaysia, Ireland stunned Pakistan with a 13-run victory (DLS method) in a crucial Group B match on January 22. With the match reduced to 9 overs per side due to rain, Ireland posted 69/5, powered by a quickfire 31 from opener Alice Walsh. Despite a valiant effort from Pakistan, who were chasing a modest total, they were restricted to just 59/7, losing crucial wickets due to run-outs.
This result was a huge blow to Pakistan’s hopes of advancing to the Super Six, as they needed a win to stay in contention. Having shared points with the USA due to rain in their opening game and suffering a defeat to England, Pakistan’s elimination came as a shock in their final group match. With the loss, Pakistan now heads to the 13th-16th classification stage of the tournament.
Meanwhile, in another Group B match, England exhibited dominant form as they crushed the USA by eight wickets to top the group. England chased down 120 in just 14.2 overs, with opener Davina Perrin playing a superb knock of 74 off 45 balls, including 9 boundaries and 3 sixes. All-rounder Trudy Johnson played a key role with an unbeaten 44 and a strong bowling performance, taking 2 wickets for 17 runs. USA’s Anika Kolan led the fight with an unbeaten 46 but couldn’t prevent her side from being bowled out for 119/5. England, along with Ireland and the USA, secured their places in the Super Six stage.
In Group B’s final match, Scotland gave a spirited chase but fell short as they were unable to reach the target set by Bangladesh. Sumaiya (21) and Afia Ashima Era (20) made valuable contributions, while Pippa Sproul’s 43-ball 43 kept Scotland in the contest. However, Bangladesh’s collective effort was enough to seal victory.
On the other hand, Australia had an easy outing against Nepal, defeating them by 83 runs. Australia posted 139/6, and Nepal struggled in reply, managing just 56/8 in their 20 overs. Lily Bassingthwaighte, Juliette Morton, and Hasrat Gill each took two wickets as Nepal was bowled out with no real resistance.
In Group C, New Zealand sealed a dominant 67-run win over tournament newcomers Samoa. New Zealand’s total of 107/9 in 17 overs was more than enough to seal victory, as Samoa was bowled out for just 40 in 14.2 overs. Eve Wolland impressed with the bat, scoring 48 runs, while Rishika Jaswal and captain Tash Wakelin excelled with the ball, taking 3 wickets each. Samoa made history with their first-ever ICC Women's U19 World Cup wicket, as Olive Lefaga Lemoe dismissed Kate Irwin for a duck. Despite their strong start, Samoa couldn’t recover from the loss.
In another truncated match, South Africa managed to defend a total of 49 against Nigeria in a rain-affected Group C encounter. Nigeria could only manage 24/8 in their reply, as South Africa’s bowlers held firm. Both South Africa and Nigeria advance to the next round, having secured top spots in their group.
As the tournament continues to unfold, the top teams from each group are now set to compete in the Super Six stage, with Ireland, England, South Africa, and New Zealand all looking to make their mark on the U19 Women's T20 World Cup 2025.
