2024-07-25 20:16:08
The women’s Asia Cup semi-final turned out to be a bit tougher for Bangladesh after losing to Sri Lanka. A battle of equations ahead. In the last match against Malaysia with a big win of 114 runs, Nigga Sultana Jyoti’s team put one step on the way to the semis. Bangladesh will enter the last four only if Thailand loses to Sri Lanka.
After winning the toss and batting at the Rongiri Stadium in Dambulla on Wednesday (July 24), Murshida Khatun and Nigar Sultana Jyoti scored a pair of fifties and Bangladesh reached the peak of 191 runs after losing 2 wickets in 20 overs. Malaysia can go up to 77 runs by losing 8 wickets in the 20 overs scheduled for Bangladesh’s bowling ball.
Malaysia had to set a record to chase Bangladesh’s target and win. Batting also had to be excellent. Batting aggressively from the start, Malaysian opener Ainna Hamijah Hashim took the wicket of Jahanara Alam in the first over. They started playing after losing the wicket in the beginning.
But trying to be extra careful, Elsa Hunter caused danger just before the powerplay. This batsman who scored 20 runs off 23 balls departed with a return catch from Nahida. In the Powerplay, Malaysia’s collection stood at 26 runs with the loss of 2 wickets. Their run was 42 for 2 in 10 overs.
After that, Ritu Monir’s ball was bowled and returned to One Julia who scored 11 runs. Nahida hit in the next over. Confused by Nahida’s spin, Winifred Duraisingam gave away the wicket. Malaysia crossed 50 runs at the end of the 14th over. Then they lost two more wickets. It lost 5 wickets before 60 runs.
After that, Malaysia started playing after the wicket. Even after playing 20 overs, there was no victory. Tigresses won by more than 100 runs. Nahida took maximum 2 wickets for Bangladesh. Jahanara Alam, Sabikun Nahar, Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni and Swarna Akhtar took 1 wicket each.
As a result of this win, Bangladesh is in the second position in their group with 4 points from 2 wins from 3 matches. Sri Lanka has already advanced to the semi-finals with 4 points from two wins in two matches. The other teams in the group are Bangladesh and Thailand in the semi-finals.
The equation stands, if Thailand loses against Sri Lanka, then Bangladesh is directly in the semi-finals. And if Thailand wins, Bangladesh will have to top the run rate. That is very difficult. As a result, Bangladesh has one foot in the semis from this side as well. India will be Bangladesh’s opponent in the semis.
Earlier, two openers Dilara Akhtar and Murshida Khatun started batting after winning the toss. After playing the first four overs, the two went up from the fifth over. Dilara took 15 runs from the fifth over with two fours and 1 six. Bangladesh scored 51 runs without a wicket in the Powerplay.
Dilara was out on the fourth ball of the eighth over. This top order batsman scored 33 runs off 20 balls hitting 4 fours and 1 six before the out. Skipper Sultana Jyoti of Niger has dropped to third. Murshida Khatun continued to move forward with Jyoti. Bangladesh scored 87 runs after losing 1 wicket in 10 overs.
Jyoti saw and Murshida played aggressively. Bangladesh also crossed the century mark. Murshida reached his fifty with a four off the fourth ball of the 14th over. Murshida scored 47 balls with 9 fours.
After Murshidar’s fifty, Jyoti rode. At that time, Murshida departed in the 17th over. Before getting out, he gave a great innings of 80 runs in 59 balls with 10 fours and 1 six. Jyoti stormed the rest of the way alone. Played an innings of 62 runs off 37 balls. His innings had 5 fours and 2 sixes.
Bangladesh stopped at 191 runs after Murshida-Jyoti’s pair of fifties. Which is the highest collection in Asia Cup and second highest collection in T20 by Jyoti. Bangladesh’s highest T20 score of 255 runs was against Maldives women’s team in 2019.