Nahida feat keeps Tigresses' winning spree

 DHAKA -Left-arm spinner Nahida Akhter returned figures of 5-12 in 3.4 overs as Bangladesh Women's team kept winning spree in
Commonwealth Games Women's Cricket Competition Qualifiers, crushing Kenya by
80 runs at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia today.

   This was Bangladesh's second straight victory after securing an eight-
wicket win against hosts Malaysia in the first game.

   Nahida's incredible bowling figures that featured a maiden, is now the
best bowling figures by any Bangladeshi women in T20Is. She eclipsed Panna
Ghosh, who held the record previously for her 5-16 against Ireland in 2016.

   The match was also memorable for Bangladesh for batting performance of
Salma Khatun and Ritu Moni even though no one could set any individual
record. Rather they together shared 75-run partnership in an unbeaten seventh
wicket stand that not only gave the Tigresses a respectable total but also
bailed them out of danger after being reduced to 50-6 in ninth over.

   Thanks to their effort, Bangladesh could put up 125-6 in the stipulated 20
overs, which was more than enough to secure their second victory in a row.

   The unbeaten stand between Salma and Ritu is now the highest partnership
in Women's T20Is for the seventh wicket. They went past Monica Pascal and
Nasra Saidi of Tanzania Women, who held the previous record of 72-run stand
against Uganda in 2019.

   Salma scored an unbeaten 32-ball 33 while Ritu remained unbeaten on 39 off
34 deliveries, a knock that featured three boundaries.  

   Put into bat first, barring Murshida Khatun, no top order batters of
Bangladesh could show the expected resilience. Murshida scored 26 and saw the
wickets tumbling around her with five top order batters being dismissed for
single digit figure.

   However Salma and Ritu finally set a tough target for Kenya, which they
couldn't overhaul as they were bowled out for just 45 in 12.4 overs. Salma
Khatun, Suriya Azminl Rumana Ahmed and Sanjida Akhter Meghla took one wicket
apiece to complement the stellar bowling effort of Nahida.

   Sharon Juma was the top-scorer for Kenya with 24 and was the only one
batter to reach double digit figure.

   Bangladesh later will take on Scotland and Sri Lanka for the lone
remaining slot at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham.

   Australia, Barbados, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South
Africa are the seven teams to have already qualified for Birmingham. BSS