Sidra Amin on a journey to score big for Pakistan

LAHORE: Opening batter of Pakistan's women's cricket team Sidra Amin has had a phenomenal 2022. The 30-year-old cricketer has scored three centuries in 49 ODIs — all in 2022.

Her unbeaten 176 off 151 balls, which included 20 fours and one six against Ireland in the first match of the ODI series on Friday, not only helped her side win by a margin of 128 runs, but also led Pakistan toward clinching crucial ICC Women’s Championship points.

Before Friday’s match, Sidra took part in 10 ODIs this year and has scored 420 runs, which included two centuries — 104 against Bangladesh — the first century by a Pakistan batter in the ICC Women’s World Cup and 123 against Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s Championship match at the Southend Club, Karachi in June.

Her knock of 176 is the highest individual score amongst Pakistan’s batters, surpassing Javeria Khan’s 133 not out against Sri Lanka at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in January 2015. 

Sidra’s three centuries to date have allowed her to surpass Javeria’s record of most centuries (two) for a Pakistan batter in the 50-over format.

Ireland's players — who are on their maiden tour to Pakistan for six limited-overs matches these days — will be eager to bounce back when both sides meet again for the second ODI on Sunday at the Gaddafi Stadium.

Recalling her innings and match-winning record first-wicket partnership with Muneeba Ali, who scored her maiden ODI century, the Lahore-born batter in an exclusive conversation for PCB Digital said: “I always work hard and prepare myself before going into the match. But this year, I trusted and backed myself to do well. I have changed my approach a bit, now I am thinking about going for runs on every ball and it is paying dividends now.”

Sidra, who has 1,180 ODI runs to her name in 49 matches, praised the support she received from her teammates and the confidence given in galvanising her to register an epic ton on Friday.

“I am very happy with my innings, when I reached triple figures, I had made up my mind to go for more runs and the support I was getting from the dressing room helped me to score big and achieve the record.”

Heading into the series, Sidra had only played three of her 80 international matches at her home ground — the Gaddafi Stadium — and had scores of 21, 4, and 19, and these outings against Bangladesh in 2019.

Detailing her struggles in the past and overcoming them to score big in Lahore, Sidra said: “I always dreamt of playing here at the Gaddafi Stadium."

"In one domestic tournament here, I was ruled out of the tournament due to injury, then in 2019 during Bangladesh women’s series here, I could not score runs, I was dropped and eventually, my name was omitted from the central contracts list. So this was in my mind, I realised, I got the opportunity, I want to do well, so people remember my knock and so do I.”

Talking about the individuals who inspired and helped her perform at this level, Sidra stated: “I would like to dedicate my blistering innings to my parents — who have been with me from the start to support in good and bad times."

"The captain and coaching staff who supported me by giving me a number of matches to perform. Teammates, fans, and friends are important to me and I am dedicating this knock to all of them.”