Tigresses beat West Indies by 60 runs in 2nd ODI

Bangladesh Women’s team kept their hopes to
have a direct qualification to the ICC Cricket World Cup alive by claiming a
60-run win over West Indies in the second ODI of the three-match series at
Basseterre in St Kitts today.

Tigresses made a history by virtue of this triumph since it was their first
victory over West Indies in any format of cricket.

Skipper Nigar Sultana Joty and the spin trio– Nahid Akter, Rabeya Akter and
Fahima Khatun– were instrumental in the landmark victory that helped them
level the series. Bangladesh lost the first match by nine wickets despite
putting up 198-9 on the board.

In the second ODI, they amassed 184 before being all out in 48.5 overs but
defended it well to wrap up West Indies for 124 in 35 overs.

Nahida Akter led the charge with 3-31 while Rabeya Khatun and Fahim Khatun
took two wickets apiece, meaning spinners shared seven wickets to slice the
West Indies batting line up. Pacer Marufa Akter did the initial damage with
2-35.

West Indies Captain Shemaine Campbelle made team-high 28 while No.10 batter
Cherry-Ann Fraser scored 18. Opener Healy Matthews who scored a century to
sink Bangladesh in the previous match made just 16 this time.

Put into bat first, Bangladesh earlier rode on 68 runs of skipper Joty who
steadied the innings despite wickets tumbling around her. Sobhana Mostary
with 23 and Shorna Akter with 21 gave the skipper a much-needed support after
Bangladesh’s top three batters– Fargana Hoque Pinky (18), Murshida Khatun
(12) and Sharmin Akter Supta (11) fared badly.

Karishma Ramharack was the most successful bowler for West Indies, grabbing
4-33 while Aaliyah Alleyen returned figures of 3-24.

After this victory, Bangladesh put them in seventh place by amassing 21
points in 23 matches in ICC Women’s Championship. New Zealand which had also
21 points played all 24 matches but still in sixth place by better run rate
than Bangladesh.

So, if Bangladesh win their final match against West Indies, they will topple
New Zealand to play the World Cup directly.

Top six teams will make a direct entry to the World Cup.

In case of a defeat, Bangladesh would have to play the Qualifying round with
other five teams– Pakistan, West Indies, Ireland, Scotland and Thailand. Two
teams from the Qualifying round will join the top six teams in the World Cup. (BSS)