A rollicking batting performance by Captain Salma Khatun, in the post-rain session, gave the Bangladeshi women’s cricket team their second T20 victory this year in the first of three T20Is against the visiting South Africans at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. Bangladesh, who had to chase down a reduced target of 73 in 13 overs, cruised to victory with seven wickets and five balls to spare.
It was a lively performance from the women in green, who shed the daunting memories of the previous encounter with South Africa with an impressive performance on the field. After having put the South Africans in to bat, the Bangladeshi bowlers took wickets at regular intervals to peg back the visitors. The fielding lifted by a notch and the hosts garnered two crucial wickets through direct hits. Even Ritu Moni, who had dropped two sitters in the last ODI of the three-match series that Bangladesh lost 2-1, looked threatening with her accurate throws from cover.
The Proteas, once again, found it difficult to negotiate the Bangladeshi spinners as all three slow-bowlers in the side — Rumana Ahmed, Khadijatul Kobra and Salma Khatun — were amongst the wickets. Susan Benade held the core of the South African innings together with a 30-ball 37, which included three sixes.
However, she didn’t receive much support from her teammates. It was only towards the end of the first innings that captain Mignon Du Preez and Marizanne Kapp managed to up the run rate. Kapp smacked two boundaries off Jahanara Alam in the penultimate over and took the score to 105 — a modest total considering the good bounce that was on offer.
In reply, Bangladesh slumped to early trouble as their in-form player, Lata Mondol, was bowled for a nine-ball duck. The hosts went into the rain-break after 4.4 overs with the score stuck on 12 for 1. However, a string of boundaries after the break, courtesy of the captain, changed the entire scenario. Khatun went on to score 27 runs off 14 balls and also scored the team’s first maximum — a six over deep mid wicket — of the entire campaign against South Africa.
The gravity of this victory for the home side was best described by the captain, who in the post-match conference stated that it was only in the penultimate over, when Bangladesh required 11 of 12 balls, that she fancied a chance of winning. “I initially didn’t think that we could achieve the target. But I just decided to play every ball on its merit when I came on to bat,” said Khatun.
The Proteas, who have only won three out of the 22 games that they have played in this format, will be hoping for a change of fortunes. Captain Mignon Du Preez, however, was confident that her team would recover in the next few matches. “The loss isn’t a great concern. It’s good to get over with these matches rather than losing in the upcoming world cup,” said Du Preez.
The 2nd T20I will take place today at the same venue.
Scores In Brief
SOUTH AFRICA: 105 for 6 (Benade 37, Du Preez 18; Salma 2-21, Rumana 1-10)
BANGLADESH: 75 for 3 (Salma 27, Farzana 15, Rumana 14, Shukhtara 15 not out; Benade 1 -5)
Result: Bangladesh won by 7 wickets (D/L method).
Player-of-the-match: Salma Khatun.
-With The Daily Star input
