Ellyse Perry torments Pakistan, with both bat and ball

Australia sailed past Pakistan to make it four wins in four, all but sealing a semi-final spot in the T20 World Cup.

On a Headingley surface primed for big scores, Australia chose to bat first. Ellyse Perry starred with a 48-ball 71, anchoring their total of 199/7. Australia were 96/1 in nine overs, but Pakistan found breakthroughs in phases without fully controlling the game.

Perry started with a commanding square drive off her second ball. Beth Mooney departed first ball, caught by Gull Feroza. Perry and Georgia Voll added a 57-ball century stand before Nashra Sandhu struck twice in the tenth over, removing Voll and Ash Gardner in three balls. Perry reached her first T20 World Cup fifty in ten editions but lost Georgia Wareham next ball, slipping from 100/1 to 107/4.

Perry and Annabel Sutherland then counter-attacked the spinners, using clever footwork and inside-out shots. With four overs left at 151/4, Pakistan claimed Sutherland, but Nicola Carey smashed three fours in four balls. Perry reached the 70s with a scoop, having deployed the ramp shot early in her innings. Carey carried them to 199.

The chase began disastrously with a run-out in the second over, another in the fourth, though Iram Javed's three consecutive fours off Gardner kept Pakistan at 50/3 after six overs. Australia tightened: by the ninth over, Pakistan were 65/4. Perry struck with her first ball, dismissing Muneeba Ali, then added Aliya Riaz to finish 2-9. At 74/6, the chase was over. A third run-out sealed Pakistan's fate.

Sophie Molineux and Sutherland wrapped up the innings as Pakistan folded for 86.

Brief scores: Australia 199/7 in 20 overs (Ellyse Perry 71, Georgia Voll 39; Sadia Iqbal 2-31, Nashra Sandhu 2-33) beat Pakistan 86 in 13.4 overs (Muneeba Ali 32, Fatima Sana 17; Sophie Molineux 2-6, Ellyse Perry 2-9) by 113 runs.