The Bangladesh women’s cricket team, spurred on by a cheering crowd, ended their ICC World Twenty20 2014 campaign on a bright note after beating Sri Lanka by three runs at Sylhet Divisional Stadium on Tuesday. Defending 115 for a win in their final Group B game, Bangladesh restricted the opposition to 112-9 in 20 overs to register their fourth victory in 22 T20 internationals and the second against the Lankans with the two other wins coming against South Africa and Ireland.
Panna Ghosh (3-18), the most successful Bangladesh bowler, came on to bowl the final over with Sri Lanka needing 13 runs.
In the very first delivery, Panna took a major scalp, that of Lankan skipper Shashikala Siriwardene (31), the second-highest scorer for her side. Lata Mondol, stationed at long-on, took a diving catch after sprinting 15 yards to dismiss Siriwardene. The next delivery was a dot ball followed by two runs each taken from the third and fourth balls.
Panna gave away a boundary from the penultimate delivery with the Lankans needing five runs from the final ball, but their batters could manage just one as Maduri Samuddika (nine) was run out trying to go for a second run.
Despite opener Yasoda Mendis’ 33 at the top, the Lankans were unable to chase down the target with Rumana Ahmed taking 1-23 and Jahanara Alam scalping 1-27. Skipper Salma Khatun also chipped in with an economical bowling, giving away just 14 runs from four overs for a wicket.
The Bangladesh batters earlier posted their highest T20I score with Rumana’s career-best 41 off 34 balls enabling the hosts to finish at 115-9. Salma provided a valuable support making 22 runs from 18 balls.
Opener Sharmin Akhter (18) and Fahima Khatun (14) came up with useful contributions to boost Bangladesh’s total and the batters’ efforts were later complemented by the bowlers.
BRIEF SCORES
Bangladesh Women 115-9 in 20 overs (Rumana 41, Salma 22, Sharmin 18; KDU Prabodhani 2-18, HHC Gunaratne 2-15) v Sri Lanka Women 112-9 in 20 overs (BYA Mendis 33, HASD Siriwardene 31; Panna 3-18).
Result: Bangladesh Women
won by 3 runs.
Player of the match: Panna Ghosh (BW).
-With New Age input
