Ayesha Zafar's rapid ton crushes Zimbabwe

Before the first T20I against Zimbabwe Women, Ayesha Zafar had hit just one six in 28 T20 innings, with her career strike-rate in the early 80s. On Tuesday (May 12), she hit two sixes and 15 fours, smashing the joint third-fastest Women's T20I hundred in a record-filled win for Pakistan Women.

Her unbeaten 47-ball 102 propelled Pakistan to 237/5 - the first time they crossed 200 in the format - paving the way for a whopping 153-run win in Karachi, their biggest ever margin by runs in T20Is. By the time she was done, Zafar's career strike-rate had gone up to 97.

The 31-year-old Zafar, who made a comeback to the side in March after nearly two years away, put on a fine show dominant with leg-side hits, notching up her first T20 fifty and converting it to three figures.

At the crease in the second over, Zafar repeatedly shuffled to the backfoot and targeted the leg-side against spinners, pulling any remotely short deliveries to the midwicket or square leg fence. On 20, she got a reprieve playing that shot, with square leg shelling a catch. But Zafar continued to play that stroke, also punishing anything too full by hitting it firmly down the ground.

Gull Feroza, meanwhile, departed for a 19-ball 37, having given them an early push. Zafar raced to 40 off 18, but slowed down a bit thereafter, reaching her fifty in 29 balls.

From the 16-over mark, Zafar picked up again, showcasing her power-hitting against quicks, particularly with shots in the V and towards midwicket, using the crease well to make room. A 67-run stand off 35 balls with Aliya Riaz (48) and a 70-run partnership off just 27 balls with Fatima Sana ensured they easily crossed 200 for the first time. A last-ball four ensured Zafar crossed her three-figure mark.

In reply, Zimbabwe couldn't really match the run-scoring, pegged down by a flurry of wickets in the Powerplay. Sana prised out Beloved Biza and Kelly Ndiraya off back-to-back balls in the third over to leave Zimbabwe at 14/3. Despite three boundaries in the sixth over, they had slipped to 30/5 at the end of the Powerplay.

There was very little resistance thereafter, with opener Natasha Mtomba top-scoring with 24 and staying put until the tenth over. No other player crossed 20.

Sana finished with 3-7, becoming the highest wicket-taker among T20I quicks for Pakistan Women (46). Zafar won the Player of the Match award and is now the only other Pakistan Women's T20I centurion besides Muneeba Ali.

Brief scores: Pakistan Women 237/5 in 20 overs (Ayesha Zafar 102*, Aliya Riaz 48; Nomvelo Sibanda 2-59, Michelle Mavunga 1-23) beat Zimbabwe Women 84 all out in 18.2 overs (Natasha Mtomba 24, Adel Zimunu 18; Fatima Sana 3-7, Natalia Pervaiz 2-3) by 153 runs.