Bangladesh Women Cricket Team created history by beating Pakistan in their first appearance of the World Cup on Monday at the Seddon Park, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Bangladesh side, who have been impressive in the tournament, showed a brilliant team work as they scored 234, their highest ever score in ODI before restricting the opponents for 225-9 to win by nine runs.
It was a match of personal performance against team effort and the latter prevailed as Pakistan batting collapsed losing their last eight wickets for just sixty runs thanks to some poor display of batting along with good bowling and excellent fielding.
That meant an outstanding century, the first ever for Pakistan in the gala event, went in vain as Sidra Amin, who was run out in the penultimate over, was in the losing side despite scoring 104 off 140 balls.
Pakistani openers Amin and Nahida Khan made a solid start as the pair amassed 91 runs from 142 balls before the latter was bowled by Rumana Ahmed for 43 off 67 balls.
Despite the loss they seemed to cruise to the target as Amin and her skipper Bismah Maroof continued to get runs with the ease.
The pair added 64 runs, perhaps with extra caution, as they consumed 81 balls yet they seemed to be right on top even when Maroof was caught by Sharmin Ahkter off Jahanara Alam for 31 in the 38th over.
Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana, however, thought slower bowlers were tough to score and she did not deploy pacer Jahanara, who returned with 4-0-20-1, anymore and depended on her spinners.
And they repaid the faith fully. Fahima Khatun, who was not picked in the first two matches, proved her worth first by removing Omaima Sohail for 10 before getting rid of Aliya Riaz and Fatima Sana in consecutive deliveries in her next over both getting leg before and ducks.
Fahima missed her hattrick but helped her side get another wicket a ball later when she dislodged the bail in the bowler’s end off an immaculate throw off Sharmin Ahkter to reduce Pakistan from 155-1 in 38th over to 188-7 at the end of 44th over.
Fahima, the 29-year-old leg-spinner was adjudged player of the match for her game changing impact.
Diana Beg, the number nine batter, tried to salvage her side as she scored 12 off 12 but experienced Salma Khatun, who conceded just 29 runs, got rid of her in the 47th over and when Amin was run out two overs later it was basically all over for them.
Earlier in the match Bangladesh made a good start after they were sent into batting. Openers Shamima Sultana got 17 and Sharmin Akhter made 44 but the pair of Fargana Hoque and Nigar was the pick of the innings.
Fargana, who scored half century in the previous match against New Zealand, scored 71 off 115 balls and with the innings she is now the highest scorer for Bangladesh in ODI with 972 runs, surpassing Rumana Ahmed, who scored 16 later in the innings.
Nigar made 46 off 64 balls. Nashra Sandhu was pick of the Pakistani bowlers, pickling up 3-41.
Bangladesh men’s team also got their victory in their maiden appearance of the World Cup back in 1999 against Pakistan in England and women emulated the happy history in New Zealand 23 years later.
Mem’s team won their third match in that tournament against Scotland and the women’s also have done the same in the ongoing tournament.
BRIEF SCORE
Bangladesh 234/7 (Fargana 71, Sandhu 3/41) beat Pakistan 225/9 (Sidra 104, Fahima 3/38) by nine runs
More to follow….