Following Nigar Sultana’s responsible innings, Marufa Akter and Rabeya Khatun demonstrated outstanding performances as Bangladesh clinched a historic ODI win against India by 40 runs on Sunday.
It is the first ever win of Bangladesh against India in the women’s cricket in the 50 overs format when visitors recorded wins in all last five outings.
Held at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur, in the rain interrupted 44 overs match, Bangladesh after being sent to bat first riding a 49-run third wicket partnership amassed 152 runs for all and later on bowled out India for only 113 runs to win the match by 40 runs (DLS Method).
Bangladesh women saw an early collapse losing Sharmin Akhter and Murshida Khatun for 14 runs when the openers struggled much right from the first over, as they could stay on the crease for 14 runs.
The Indian bowlers started their bowling with fierce mood, as they had four consecutive maiden overs, fifth to eighth and had two maiden wickets with sending back the openers inside 14 runs.
One down Fargana Hoque accompanied by the Nigar Sultana scored 49 runs at the third wicket stand that steered the Tigress to accumulate 150 runs before being all out in 43 overs.
Nigar Sultana scored team highest 39 runs when Fagana Hoque followed her with 27 to steer angaldesh to score the challenging total.
Later on Bangladesh bowlers depended well their 152 runs when the Tigress bowlers also appeared with overwhelming show to book the Indian women on 113 runs and the host grabbed the historic victory.
Marufa, the opening bowler, who surprised the Indian batters with her stunning pace claimed her four wickets haul in the international cricket.
Marufa struck twice at early stage to depart the opening stand of Priya Punia and Mandhara for 30 runs and had another two wickets in successive deliveries in the middle, as her two times breakthrough just demolished the Indian innings at the early stage as well as the middle orders.
Rabeya’s efforts went together with Marufa to cut short the Indian innings when the leg-spinner claimed three wickets conceding 30 runs.
Bangladesh were without a batter short when debutant Shorna Akter had to leave the ground due to her sickness.
It looked it would be an easy going for the Indian women to reach the paltry target but Marufa with a dream spell with her pace bowling to send off their Indian star batters Smriti Mandhana for 11 and Priya Punia for 10, leaving India 30-2.Nahid Akter got the wicket of the most danger batter of the Indian side captain Harmanpreet Kaur for 5, as Tigress were dreaming the victory.
Marufa after taking couple of wickets at early stage came back in her another devastating second spell to get out Amanjot Kaur for 15 and Sneh Rana for duck to bring Bangladesh closer to the victory.
India chasing a revised target of 154, the team's batters could not deal with the Tigress bowlers as they were all out for 113 runs in 35.5 overs.
Deepti Sharma was the highest scorer with 20 runs followed by 15 runs each from Yastika Bhatia and Amanjot Kaur, as India could cross the 100 runs to score 113.
