Bangladesh women’s team captain Nigar Sultana said the gamble to make leg-spinner Shorna Akter bowl in the business end of the game paid off as they registered a historic 13-run win against hosts South Africa at Willowmoore Park in Benoni Sunday.
Shorna finished with a record 5/28 in her four overs after she was introduced to the attack in the 14th over of the South Africa chase.
The 16-year old bowled four overs at a stretch as Nigar opted to stick to Shorna rather than bring in an experienced bowler.
Shorna in the 18th over removed set Proteas batter Anneke Bosch (67 off 49 balls) and Nondumiso Shangase (nought), giving away just two runs to bring the game’s momentum to the Bangladesh end.
Chasing 150, South Africa were restricted to 136 for eight wickets in 20 overs as all-rounder Shorna bagged a fifer.
“She [Shorna] doesn't bowl regularly and is not one of our main bowlers. But she bowled brilliantly [Sunday],” said Nigar after the game.
“It was a difficult choice for me to give that over to Shorna instead of Rabeya (Khan), one of my main bowlers. I knew that Shorna could bowl quickly and consistently in the same area. We tried to trap the South African batters like that. I think the gamble I played there worked out," the wicketkeeper-batter added.
Bangladesh will face South Africa Wednesday in Kimberley in the second game of the three-match Twenty20 International series.
