Bangladesh Falls Short Against England, Loses by 21 Runs

Chasing a target of 119, Bangladesh struggled early, losing openers Shathi Rani (7) and Dilara Akter (6) to find themselves at 17/2 by the fifth over.

Captain Nigar Sultana and Sobhana Mostary steadied the innings, hitting several boundaries, with Nigar particularly aggressive as they reached 42/2 at the halfway mark. Sobhana survived a close LBW decision in the 10th over—replays indicated that a review would have likely gone against her.

As Bangladesh needed 77 runs from the final 60 balls, Nigar was run out for 15 shortly after the team crossed 50 in the 12th over. Shorna Akter (2) followed quickly, bowled by Sarah Glenn’s leg spin.

The scoring rate slowed significantly as Sobhana struggled to find a partner in Taj Nehar, leaving Bangladesh needing 52 runs off the last five overs at over 10 per over. Despite her lone fight, Sobhana lost support as Taj Nehar (7) and Ritu Moni (2) fell in quick succession.

Sobhana's resistance ended when she was trapped LBW for 44 in the penultimate over, having hit one six and one four. With her dismissal, Bangladesh's hopes dimmed, and they ultimately finished at 97/7, 21 runs short of England's total. This marked England's lowest successful defense in Women’s T20 World Cup history.

For England, Charlie Dean and Linsey Smith were the standout bowlers, each taking two wickets, while Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sarah Glenn chipped in with one apiece.

Earlier, Bangladesh’s bowlers delivered a commendable performance after being asked to bowl first, restricting England to 118/7 despite a solid 48-run opening stand. Danni Wyatt-Hodge top-scored for England with 41 runs. Ritu Moni, Fahima Khatun, and Nahida Akter each claimed two wickets, showcasing a strong collective effort as the evening progressed.

Marufa Akter started strongly with tight bowling, but England’s Maia Bouchier and Wyatt-Hodge capitalized during the powerplay, finding the boundary consistently. Rabeya Khan broke through, dismissing Bouchier for 23, sparking a turnaround for Bangladesh. They took crucial wickets, including Nat Sciver-Brunt (2) and Heather Knight (6), with Knight’s dismissal a particular highlight from Ritu Moni.

Wyatt-Hodge's innings concluded when she was stumped by Nahida Akter for 41. Bangladesh’s bowlers’ performance laid a solid foundation, but ultimately, they fell short in the chase, leaving them to regroup for their next encounter.