- Pakistani woman cricketer becomes world’s top ranked ODI spinner
The third One Day International at Benoni on Sunday in the ongoing series of the ICC Women’s Championship with South Africa was a memorable occasion for two very special reasons. Pakistan’s former captain, Sana Mir and (dare one call her veteran) off-spinner, who has been making her mark in the cricketing arena since 2005, became the world’s leading wicket taker in the spinning genre with 147 scalps in 118 games when she had stand-in South African captain Suné Luus caught by Javeria Khan. Also, the match ended in a thrilling rare tie, as Pakistan achieved its fourth highest ODI score of 265/9 in equalling South Africa’s total of 265/6, and that too in spectacular fashion in the final over, a performance sure to provide immense fillip to the team’s confidence and morale at an opportune time. The result also left Pakistan ranked at number five in the ICC Women’s Championship.
In reality, both the unique and prestigious personal world record and the team ranking might not stand the test of time for long, as Sana leapfrogged over Anisa Mohammad of West Indies and Lisa Sthalekar of Australia, both on 146 wickets, while the Pakistan side is just a point ahead (15) of the New Zealand squad (14) after playing 15 matches apiece. Overall, Sana is now placed third, both in the list of all-time highest wicket-takers in women’s cricket, behind pace bowlers Indian Jhulan Goswami (218) and Australian Cathryn Fitzpatrick (180), as well as in the current ICC bowler’s rankings, which latter position is likely to improve in the new list. Sana was also the first Pakistani woman to bag 100 wickets in 2017, but she cannot be faulted for complacency or for resting on her laurels afterwards, as her latest world record of 147 proves.
Through good times and bad, Sana takes pride in always playing for the team rather than for individual records, though these too have come thick and fast, including her number one world ranking by ICC in October 2018. She remains a role model for present day women cricketers though some detractors say, still the real power in the national team, because of her cricketing savvy and long, awe-inspiring shadow.
