The Bangladesh women’s cricket team created history Wednesday registering their maiden international win against six-time Asia Cup champion India. Bangladesh defeated neighbor India by seven wickets with two balls to spare in the ACC Asia Cup T20I 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. No 3 batter Fargana Haque’s unbeaten half-century and ODI captain Rumana Ahmed’s all-round performance were key behind Bangladesh’s emphatic win against a strong India side.
It should be mentioned that India tasted their first ever defeat in the regional competition after 34 matches.
Bangladesh made a disappointing start to the six-nation tournament, losing the first game to their Sri Lanka counterpart. However, to everyone’s surprise, the Bangladesh women bounced back strong, winning against a formidable Pakistan and mighty India in consecutive matches.
With the win, Bangladesh now have the same number of points as India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The women in red and green in their last two league matches will face weaker opponents in the shape of Thailand and host Malaysia. Expectations have now gone high and Bangladesh will be expected to win these two games and meet their ambition of playing the final.
Bangladesh become the first team to beat India in the history of the Women's Asia Cup! https://t.co/s7eyI8A7IR #BANvIND #WAC2018 pic.twitter.com/OLD3j2E7F9
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 6, 201
Wednesday, No 10 ranked T20I side Bangladesh took on India, sitting at No 3 spot in the ranking. Batting first, India, boosted by captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s 37-ball 42, featuring six boundaries, posted 141 runs losing seven wickets in their stipulated 20 overs. Middle-order batter Deepti Sharma added 32 to the tally. Rumana reigned supreme with the ball taking three scalps conceding 21 runs in her quota of four overs while T20I skipper Salma Khatun bagged one wicket.
Chasing the target, an unbroken 93-run fourth-wicket stand between Fargana and Rumana guided Bangladesh to the historic victory. Bangladesh lost their first wicket, that of Ayasha Rahman (12), with the scoreboard reading 29 for the loss of one wicket in 4.3 overs.
Opener Shamima Sultana scored a 23-ball 33, including seven fours, before being dismissed by India pacer Pooja Vastrakar in the sixth over. Bangladesh lost their third wicket when No 4 batter Nigar Sultana (one) departed and that’s when Fargana and Rumana took charge.
Fargana blasted her maiden T20I fifty, remaining unbeaten on 52 off 46 deliveries with five boundaries and a sixer, and was well supported by Rumana, who was not out on 42 from 34 balls with half a dozen boundaries.
Rumana Ahmed could hardly put a foot wrong today!
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) June 6, 2018
3/21 with the ball and a match-winning 34-ball 42* to help @BCBtigers to their second win of the 2018 Women's Asia Cup! #WAC2018 #Asiacup2018 pic.twitter.com/vYDTk3lJ3O
In his reaction to the memorable victory, BCB president Nazmul Hasan said, “I was very happy when they won against Pakistan but I am extremely delighted with their win against India. You know that we have recently appointed a coach for the women’s team who has enjoyed a vast coaching career in India. We have appointed assistant coach and physio. We always try to give the girls the best possible facilities and these appointments are part of it. Batting has been a problem for them but they batted really well (against India). India and Pakistan both are strong teams so winning against them is a good sign. But we still have a lot to cover.”
BRIEF SCORE
Bangladesh 142/3 in 19.4 overs (Fargana 52*, Rumana 42*) beat India 141/7 (Kaur 42, Rumana 3/21) by seven wickets