Bangladesh women's team lost last five wicketsfor just one run and inside eight balls to squander a golden opportunity towin the second T20 International against mighty India and level the series.
The sensational collapse left them nine runs short to win the game, as theywere bowled out for 87 in 20 overs after restricting India for paltry 95-8 atSher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
By virtue of this hard-fought victory, India took an unassailable 2-0 lead.The visitors won the first match by seven wickets but Bangladesh came backstrongly to raise the prospect of a victory.
Experienced Indian bowlers held the nerve to deny Bangladesh a victorydespite Captain Nigar Sultana Joty looked firm to get the side through thetorrid period.
However, Joty's dismissal as the sixth batter sparked the collapse as Indiapulled off a victory to clinch the series with a match to spare.
Joty was the only Bangladesh batter to reach double digit figure as shescored 38 off 55 with two boundaries. Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma were the destroyer-in-chief, claiming threewickets apiece. The duo in fact too took last four wickets with Shafalitaking her all three wickets in the last over when Bangladesh needed 10 runsto win the game.
Deepti in the penultimate over claimed the wicket of Joty to trigger thecollapse.Minnu Mani who scalped 2-9 and Deepti sliced Bangladesh top order, reducingthem to 30-4 in the chase of a paltry target. Nigar then came to the creaseand kept one end intact to give the side a glimpse of hope.
Deepti, however, struck again at right moment to turn the game, much to thedespair of Bangladesh.
Earlier, electing to bat first, India faced the wrath of Sultana Khatun andwere unable to go past 100. Khatun took 3-21 to rip through the mighty Indianbatting line up. Shafali Verma made team-high 19 while Amanjot Kaur scored14.
