Bangladesh women secure second win in T20 Commonwealth Games qualifiers

Bangladesh women's cricket team have set new records for highest scoring batting partnership and bowling, securing a second win in the T20 Commonwealth Games qualifiers and beating Kenya by 80 runs.

The national women’s cricket team scored 125 in 20 overs at the Kinrara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday before bowling Kenya out for 45, reports bdnews24.com.

Bangladesh struggled at first, losing six wickets for 40 runs in nine overs. But Salma Khatun and Ritu Moni stood firm for the seventh wicket, posting 75 runs.

Meanwhile, a five-wicket haul for 12 runs by left-arm bowler Nahida Akter set another record for best figures by a Bangladeshi woman bowler in a T20 match.

Previously, Panna Ghosh had claimed 5-16 in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier tournament against Ireland in 2018.

Nahida Akter was named the Player of the Match.

The performance was one of the Bangladesh women team’s greatest achievements in T20 cricket.

Put into the bat first, Murshida Khatun got Bangladesh off to a blistering start, striking a quickfire 26 before losing her wicket. Shamima Sultana departed in the third over and Nigar Sultana, Rumana Ahmed and Fargana Hoque soon followed.

Salma and Ritu then staged a comeback posting a partnership of 75 runs from 66 deliveries.

The previous record for partnership in the seventh wicket was made by Fargana Hoque and Lata Mondal who scored 38 runs in Lahore against Pakistan in 2019.

Bangladesh defeated Malaysia by eight wickets in the opening match of the qualifiers on Tuesday. They will face Scotland on Sunday and Sri Lanka on Monday.

The top team from the five will join seven other nations - England, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Barbados - in the 22nd Commonwealth Games, which will be held in England’s Birmingham from July-August this year.