Bangladesh women's team qualify for T20 world cup

Bangladesh Women’s team have beaten Ireland Women’s team by four wickets to qualify for the T20 World Cup next year in Australia. 

Batting first, Ireland Women’s team were all out for 85. In reply, Bangladesh Women’s team chased the target down with four wickets and nine balls in hand. 

The Irish Women team won the toss and elected to bat first in Dundee. Nahida Akter struck in the second over to send back Gaby Lewis, before Jahanara Alam picked up Mary Waldron the very next over. Bangladesh Women’s skipper Salma Khatun sent back Kim Garth in the last over of the powerplay and Orla Prendergast was sent back by Ritu Moni for 10 in the ninth over. Leah Paul was run out in the 14th over before Eimear Richardson and Laura Delany put up a small stand for the seventh wicket of 30 runs to steady the ship. But the last three wickets fell in a flurry as the Irish were all out for only 85. Fahima Khatun picked up three wickets whereas Jahanara, Salma, Ritu, and Nahida picked up one wicket each. Delany and Richardson jointly top-scored with scoring 25 each. 

In reply, Bangladesh Women lost their first wicket in the fifth over when opener Murshida Khatun was sent back for 13 by Kim Garth. Ayasha Rahman was sent back to the pavilion in the fifth over before Nigar Sultana was out in the very next and Fargana Haque’s dismissal in the ninth over meant that the team was in deep water. Sanjida Islam alongside Ritu Moni pulled the team out of danger as they put up a 38 run stand between them before Ritu was run out for 15. Sanjida hit two boundaries in a row off Eimear Richardson in the 18th over to bring Bangladesh closer to victory before Fahima Khatun was run out in the very same over. But Sanjida and Jahanara ensured that no more wickets were lost as Bangladesh Women's picked up a four-wicket win to ensure qualification for the Women’s T20 World Cup next year.