Rumana Ahmed’s unbeaten half-century helped Bangladesh cricket team gain a winnings start in Group B of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2021-22 on Sunday.
Bangladesh on the opening day of the competition defeated Pakistan by three-wickets with two balls remaining in Harare.
Chasing 202 in the 50-over game, Bangladesh needed five runs off the last over which Rumana along with veteran Salma Khatun got from three singles and thus improved their chances immensely to qualify for the next year’s World Cup.
Bangladesh faced the early loss of opener Murshida Khatun when the score was nine but recovered with a 70-run stand for the second wicket between Sharmin Akhter and Fargana Haque. Pakistan got the break through after Nashra Sandhu dismissed right-handed opener Sharmin on 31 off 67 laced with four boundaries and that put Bangladesh into an odd position of 80 for two in 24.4 overs.
Bangladesh lost two more wickets, in a succession, in captain Nigar Sultana on just four runs and Fargana on 45 in 90 delivers. But that did not hold the Tigresses back as Rumana took charge first building a 61-run partnership with Ritu Moni for the fifth-wicket.
Ritu added a quick 37-ball 33 to the tally before Fatima Sana bowled her out in the last ball of the 45th over and two quick wickets in the next over, of Lata mondal and Fahima Kahtun both for golden ducks. That seemed to take Bangladesh out of the game.
However, experience campaigners Rumana and Salma showed their mettle when it was most needed as they calmly handled the difficult equation of requiring 42 off 27 balls.
The next two overs went for just eight runs but the over 48 and 49 took the Pakistan attack off guard.
Salma slammed a first-ball boundary in the 48th over while Rumana fetched three more to end the over with 18 runs. Aggression continued from the Bangladesh batters in the next over too which got 12 more runs including a boundary leaving five runs to get in the final over
Rumana and Salma walked off the pitch with heads high scoring unbeaten 50 off 44 and 18 off 13 respectively.
Earlier, sent to bat first after Bangladesh won the toss, Pakistan posted 201 runs in 50 overs losing seven wickets. Right-arm pacer Ritu and left-arm spinner Nahida Akter picked two wickets apiece. Pakistan innings was boosted with Nida Dar’s 111-ball 87 while Aliya Riaz added unbeaten 61 runs to the board.
Bangladesh in their next game of the competition will face United States of America at the same venue on Tuesday.
The 2021 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier is the final part of the qualification process for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup. The tournament is the fifth edition of the World Cup Qualifier, with the fixtures played as Women's One Day Internationals. The top three teams from the qualifier will progress to the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. The top three teams, along with the next two best placed teams, will also qualify for the next cycle of the ICC Women's Championship.