Bangladesh women clinched the three-match T20I series against Ireland after winning the second and penultimate game by four wickets in Dublin Friday. Bangladesh had earlier won the first T20I by four wickets at the same venue Thursday.
Batting first, the home side posted a moderate 124 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their stipulated 20 overs. Opener Cecelia Joyce top-scored with 60 from 47 balls, including half a dozen fours and a six, but she received very little support from the other end in the face of some disciplined bowling by the visiting side.
Congratulations to Bangladesh on their victory today and winning the series. We have one game of the series left, on Sunday at 2pm at Pembroke CC - see you there!#IREvBAN #BackingGreen pic.twitter.com/pL2VDG15Tt
— Ireland Women’s Cricket Team (@IrishWomensCric) June 29, 2018
Seamer Jahanara Alam, who became the first ever Bangladesh woman to bag five wickets Thursday, yet again exhibited a fine bowling performance, bagging two wickets conceding just 15 runs in her quota of four overs. Left-arm spinner Nahida Akter also picked up two wickets, giving away only 18 runs in her four overs.
In reply, the Tigresses reached their destination with five balls remaining, opener Shamima Sultana leading the way with a 49-ball 51, featuring nine boundaries. No 3 batter Fargana Haque chipped in with a valuable 34-ball 36 with the help of three fours and a sixer as the women in red and green registered a famous series win. Together, Fargana and Shamima added 75 crucial runs for the second wicket.
The third and final T20I will be held at the same venue Sunday, starting at 7pm, Bangladesh standard time. The series will serve as preparation for the World T20I Qualifiers, scheduled for next month. The Women’s World T20I will be held later this year in the West Indies.
2ND T20I
Bangladesh women 125/6 in 19.1 overs (Shamima 51, Fargana 36) beat Ireland women 124/8 (Joyce 60, Jahanara 2/15) by four wickets