England spin twins Sarah Glenn and Sophie Ecclestone inspired England to a 42-run win over Pakistan as their semi-final bid strengthened at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.

Heather Knight (62) and Nat Sciver (36) continued their fine form as England posted 158/7, enough to seal back-to-back wins and close the gap on South Africa in Group B. Glenn (3/15) and Ecclestone (2/12) exercised unrelenting control over the Pakistan run-chase as Bismah Maroof’s side failed to back up their opening win over West Indies.

Diana Baig terrorised the West Indies and found early movement once again as Pakistan chose to field, trapping Amy Jones (2) in front with the opener’s review unsuccessful. Any partnership between Danni Wyatt and Sciver is attractive to watch and Wyatt showed shades of form with three boundaries off an Aiman Anwar over.

Sciver crashed three fours to take the score to 40/1 from four but Wyatt (16) slashed at an Aiman delivery and offered a catch to Muneeba Ali. Knight and Sciver, fresh from a record-breaking stand against Thailand, look at home batting together and the skipper took ten off an Aliya Riaz over to keep things ticking.

Reaching 74/2 at the halfway stage, England looked comfortable before a moment of brilliance from wicket-keeper Sidra Nawaz, who stumped Sciver off a wide to turn the tide.

Fran Wilson stayed with her captain for six overs, Knight showcasing her increasing range with power through cover and midwicket and Wilson bringing out the sweep. Pakistan squandered chances in the field, Omaima Sohail dropping Knight on the boundary and return catches squandered by Aiman and Diana.

Knight cleared long-on with a six in the penultimate over but wickets tumbled late on as she was dismissed alongside Tammy Beaumont (6) and Katherine Brunt (0). England joined the dots at the start of the Pakistan chase and when teenager Muneeba Ali tried to break the shackles, she misjudged an Anya Shrubsole cutter and was bowled.

Javeria Khan was also slow out of the blocks but took a liking to the medium-pace of Sciver, striking back-to-back off-side boundaries amid a slew of dot balls.

Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof (4) was unable to repeat her match-winning hand against West Indies, shaping to ramp and offering a tame catch to keeper Jones. Glenn then went to work, coming back from being hit for four by Javeria (16) to bowl the experienced opener before accounting for Iram Javed (4) with a beautifully-flighted ball.

Ecclestone and Glenn proved potent in tandem and the left-armer reaped the rewards of remorseless accuracy with the key wicket of Nida Dar, plumb lbw for 5.

Knight put pace back on the ball and that suited pinch-hitter Aliya Riaz perfectly, planting Sciver over long-on for six and then taking Brunt for two boundaries.

But it didn’t last as Ecclestone bowled Sidra Nawaz (6), Aliya was castled on 41 attempting another slog and Shrubsole took her 100th T20I wicket by dismissing Diana caught and bowled. Brunt then took the tenth and final wicket by trapping Sadia Iqbal lbw in the last over.

Brief scores

England 158/7 in 20 overs (Heather Knight 62, Nat Sciver 36; Aiman Anwar 3/30) Pakistan 116 in 19.4 overs (Aliya Riaz 41; Sarah Glenn 3/15, Anya Shrubsole 3/25)