2024-03-25 14:08:19
7, 3, 5 and 1. Bangladesh’s first four batters runs. But Australia had to wait till 8.3 overs for the first wicket. Up to 15.2 overs for the second wicket! Farzana Haqra seems to have come down with the mantra of not giving wickets.
But it boomeranged. The girls of Bangladesh gave away wickets to the whirlwind magic of Australia girls under pressure by digesting the ball more.
After winning the toss, Bangladesh went to bat at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla on Sunday and were all out for just 97 runs before a hundred. The first match was all out for 95 runs. 36 runs off the last two overs saved Bangladesh from being bowled out for even fewer runs.
At the end, Nahida Akhter tried to deal with the shock by making a pair of 16 runs with Sultana. The pair did not last too long in Sultana’s departure for 5 runs. Nahida was partnered by Marufa in the last pair, the two made a partnership of 20 runs. The maximum 22 runs came from Nahida’s bat. Marufa was unbeaten by 5 runs.
In the beginning, none of the first four batters could reach double figures despite digesting the ball. Farzana, who scored 7 runs, played the maximum 52 balls. Sobhana Mostari scored 3 runs off 20 balls. 5 from 24 balls comes from the bat of Murshida Khatun. And Nigar Sultana Jyoti scored 1 run in 5 balls.
Then the pair of 25 runs of Fahima Khatun-Ritu Mani. This pair broke when Ritu got out for 10 runs. Fahima also took Ritu’s way with 1 run more. Swarna Akhter (3) and Rabeya Khan (2) quickly returned to the crease. After losing 8 wickets for 61 runs, Nahida Akhtar-Sultana Khatun took the lead. Nahida-Marufa tried to advance the pair of the two. Otherwise Bangladesh should have stopped earlier.
Jyoti had no answer to Mirpur wicket spinners. Pacer Megan took only 1 wicket. The rest of the wickets went into the spinners’ pockets. Sophie Molyneux and Gardner, who came to the XI today, took the maximum 3 wickets. Georgia took 2 wickets.