Isle of Man Women made a strong start to their T20I series against Malta Women with a comfortable 9-wicket win in the first match at Marsa Sports Club. A disciplined bowling performance restricted Malta Women to 79/5 in their 20 overs, which Isle of Man chased down with ease, reaching the target in just 11.3 overs.
Match Report:
Malta Women struggled to build momentum after being put into bat by Isle of Man Women. Despite a steady 19* off 34 balls from Anupama Rameshan, the hosts could only manage 79/5 in their 20 overs. Isle of Man’s bowlers were on target from the start, with Joanne Hicks leading the way, taking 2/7 in her 4 overs, while Lucy Barnett chipped in with 1/7 from her 4 overs. Malta’s batting struggled to break free against the disciplined bowling, leading to a below-par total.
In response, Isle of Man Women chased down the modest target with minimal fuss. Lucy Barnett top-scored with an unbeaten 35 off 30 balls, guiding her team to victory with 51 balls to spare. Kim Carney supported well with 16 off 24 balls before being dismissed by Likitha Yadav, who took the only wicket for Malta. Aneeta Santhosh bowled economically, conceding just 13 runs in her 3 overs, but it wasn’t enough to stop Isle of Man from taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
Key Moments:
- Isle of Man’s bowlers, led by Joanne Hicks and Lucy Barnett, kept Malta’s batters in check, allowing only 79 runs in 20 overs.
- Lucy Barnett’s unbeaten 35 off 30 balls ensured a smooth chase, leading Isle of Man to a dominant 9-wicket victory.
- The match recorded the lowest aggregate score (159) involving Malta Women and Isle of Man Women in WT20Is.
Brief Scores:
Malta Women: 79/5 in 20 overs (Anupama Rameshan 19*, Joanne Hicks 2/7, Lucy Barnett 1/7).
Isle of Man Women: 80/1 in 11.3 overs (Lucy Barnett 35*, Kim Carney 16, Likitha Yadav 1/26).
Isle of Man Women’s comprehensive win in the first T20I gives them a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. With a dominant all-round performance, they will be looking to continue their winning momentum in the remaining matches. Malta Women, on the other hand, will need to regroup and find ways to improve their batting and bowling to stay competitive in the series.
