Bangladesh claimed their first win at an ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup since 2014 as they defeated debutants Scotland by 16 runs.
Saskia Horley took three late wickets to stifle Bangladesh who had been led by Sobhana Mostary as she produced her highest international score of 36, as they made 119 for seven.
Chasing 120, Scotland repeatedly went from comfort to chaos with Sarah Bryce unable to build partnerships as Bangladesh closed out a historic triumph.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat, Bangladesh produced their highest first-wicket score at an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, making 26.
Rachel Slater had the honour of bowling Scotland’s first ball at a World Cup but it was the captain Kathryn Bryce who got the first wicket, with Katherine Fraser taking the catch to dismiss Murshida Khatun for 12.
It meant that Slater’s blushes were spared having dropped Murshida three balls earlier.
Sobhana hit her second boundary courtesy of the ball being parried to the boundary before drinks under a beaming Sharjah sun marked a welcome break for Scotland to refocus.
However, it was opener Shathi Rani who emerged from the drinks break with intent, including one fine strike for four.
Fraser had the last laugh as she dismissed Shathi for 29 from 32 balls with Bangladesh reduced to 68 for two with eight overs remaining.
From there, Scotland took wickets at regular intervals to halt Bangladesh as they looked to beat their highest World Cup score of 126.
After Sobhana’s departure for 36, the ever-dependable Nigar Sultana Joty was the calm in the middle, making a run-a-ball 18 before becoming the final of Horley’s three wickets as she delivered best figures of three for 13.
In reply to 119, Horley crunched Scotland’s first runs at a World Cup, hitting a four off the fourth ball of their chase before she was stumped for eight.
The Bryce sisters, Kathryn and Sarah, started slowly before Kathryn hit two fours in three balls to keep Scotland in the hunt as the asking rate rose to close to needing a run a ball.
Theirs was an innings of peaks and troughs, Kathryn was clean bowled by Marufa Akter before Scotland went 17 balls without a boundary.
Sarah Bryce and Priyanaz Chatterji then found a nice rhythm, taking 10 runs off youngster Shorna Akter, before six came from the 12th over to see Scotland to 65 runs, just three behind where Bangladesh were at the same stage.
Disaster soon struck again when Chatterji was run out for five having not heard Bryce’s call and it was then open season for Bangladesh as Darcey Carter’s big heave to long-on was caught acrobatically by Fahima Khatun, who danced in celebration.
The smiles stayed bright on the Bangladesh players’ faces as they squeezed Scotland out of the contest.
Sarah Bryce’s unbeaten 49 was in vain as Nahida Akter became the first Bangladesh woman to take 100 T20I wickets, taking the seventh and final wicket as Scotland fell 16 runs short.
Scores in brief
Bangladesh v Scotland, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Bangladesh 119/7 in 20 overs (Sobhana Mostary 36, Shtahi Rani 29; Saskia Horley 3/13)
Scotland 103/7 in 20 overs (Sarah Bryce 49 not out, Kathryn Bryce 11; Ritu Moni 2/15 )
Result: Bangladesh won by 16 runs
Short Firecracker
South Africa’s domestic rugby competition, called the Currie Cup, dates back to 1891 and is one of the oldest rugby competitions in the world. The competition features South African provincial teams and is named after the British colonial administrator Sir Donald Currie, who donated the trophy.
High Kingdom Warrior
Manufacturing rugby balls caused a very unusual and tragic death – In rugby’s early days, Richard Lindon’s leather shop was in high demand for balls. He enlisted the help of his wife Rebecca, but she tragically passed away due to the germs she ingested from the bladders while blowing them up. Lindon searched for an alternative to pig’s bladders from that point onward.