Bangladesh national women’s cricket team lost the Twenty20 international series to Pakistan when the hosts beat them by 34 runs in the second and final match of the series at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium in Karachi on Thursday. Chasing Pakistan’ total of 114-7, the visitors could only manage 80-7 from the stipulated 20 overs. The hosts won the first match of the series by 29 runs at the same ground on Wednesday.
Player of the match, Bismah Maroof kept on her rich vein of form as she made 44 not out off just 38 balls to help her side reach a good total.
She also smashed 65 runs in the first match and for her brilliant success in the series she was later adjudged player of the series.
Bangladesh, whose highest ever run in T20 is 115-9 against Sri Lanka in 2014 needed to equal that score to win the match, failed well short once again due to their lack of power and execution in batting.
Bismah struck three boundaries in her innings and made a 32-run second wicket partnership with opener Marina Iqbal, who scored 33 off 41 balls with four boundaries.
Bismah made another significant partnership of 33 runs in the fifth wicket with Aliya Riaz who made 20 runs and struck the only over-boundary of the series.
For the Bangladeshi side, Nahida Akhter grabbed two wickets while Salma Khatun and Lata Mondal picked up one wicket apiece.
In reply, none of the top three batters of the visiting side could make a double figure and they lost half of their side for 38.
Rumana Ahmed’s 27 off 33 balls with the help of three boundaries went in vain and Ritu Moni’s 17 off 24 balls and Lata Mandal’s run-a-ball 10 just reduced the margin of defeat.
Sumaiya Siddiqi of Pakistan bowled a tight spell of 4-0-9-2 while Nida Dar picked up 2-15 and skipper Sana Mir picked up one wicket.
These two teams will now play a two-match one-day international series beginning on Sunday at the same ground amid high-security.
-With New Age input
