England pushed Pakistan aside with the minimum effort. South Africa kept their large vociferous audience on tenterhooks before returning what looks on paper like a romp. It was far from it.

England-Pakistan

Jon Lewis answered his ‘Brunt’ problem by retaining her in the eleven, but replacing Lauren Bell with Freya Davies. This meant that Davies appeared for the first time at this level, knowing that her every step was being evaluated; not an easy position to be in.

We won’t know till Friday whether the selectors were holding Bell back for the two bigger games to come. No such generosity towards Kate Cross, Lauren Winfield-Hill and Maia Bouchier.

Today’s watchword for the English was ‘consistency’. By and large they achieved it. They mounted the highest total ever recorded at a World Cup, and hypocaust assures us that the margin of victory was the widest yet, so it must be true.

And yet…

After Danni Wyatt put past faults to rights with an immediate four and six, Sophia Dunkley aimed a loose drive at Fatima Sana Khan to give an easy catch to mid-on.

Two overs later Alice Capsey hit a reverse straight to short third, then was clean bowled swiping.

Fortunately for England that marked the end of the early misfortunes that have dogged recent performances. Wyatt was in sparkling form while Nat Sciver-Brunt was her imperious self. By the end of the Powerplay 55 runs were already on the board; more followed in a cascade.

By halfway the pair had added 50 off 31 balls; score 89-2.

The chat at drinks didn’t seem to touch on consolidation. Instead, Wyatt went to 50 off 29 balls and NS-B chalked up England’s tenth six of the tournament.

England suffered a minor downturn as both Wyatt (59/33) and the captain fell to catches in the deep on the leg-side (118-4).

But Amy Jones went on enjoying her return to top form. She added exactly 100 with NS-B off 46, falling only to the last ball on offer (47/31). She even survived two balls aimed a her solar plexus. For reasons evident to the umpires, the miscreant was not removed from the action.

NS-B’s innings was one of her very best (81*/40), quite enough to secure her yet another PotM award.

As for consistency, those three big innings stand in stark contrast to the single-figure totals of Dunkley, Capsey and Knight.

The Reply

Pakistan’s response was a huge disappointment. Nobody on the ground expected them to get close to that record score, but attitude and body language count for a lot.

Katherine Sciver-Brunt was determined to put right her previous performances. Sadaf Shamas lasted two balls, caught behind by Jones. Davies found it harder controlling the tension within her: she bowled a wide then a no-ball. Muneeba Ali soon followed, skying a mishit off Charlie Dean to Jones again.

By the time Davies held a catch off NS-B in the fifth over, Pakistan were already looking at a run-rate of more than 13 per over. Their half-time score was 39-5, a desperately sad riposte.

The only brave threat came from Tuba Hassan who scored a meritorious 28 at No 9. But even she allowed herself to be dismissed in ridiculous circumstances. As she ran a second and tapped down, Capsey’s return found her wandering out of her crease again.

The upshot was that Pakistan failed to reach 100. We are left wondering what the coaching team’s philosophy was before the game began. It made a marked contrast with Bangladesh’s in the following match. Their outfielding alone fell well short of the acceptable.

Result

England 213-5 (NR Sciver-Brunt 81*; Wyatt 59; Jones 47)
Pakistan 99-9
England won by 114 runs, a record margin of victory by runs

Teams

England

Danni Wyatt, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight (captain), Amy Jones (w-k), Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Charlie Dean, Freya Davies

Pakistan

Sadaf Shamas, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Omaima Sohail, Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Sidra Amin, Fatima Sana Khan, Sidra Nawaz (w-k), Nashra Sundhu, Tuba Hassan, Sadia Iqbal

South Africa v Bangladesh

South Africa celebrate

The final instalment of the group stages took place at Newlands under lights in front of a huge expectant crowd.

The Proteas’ bowling was largely in control, only stiff resistance in the middle order allowing Bangladesh to recover from 22-2 to 80-4, Sobhana Mostary (27) and Nigar Sultana (30) the standard-bearers.

But a final total of 113 fell short of expectations.

The sleep-walk was still to come.

To most observers’ surprise the South African openers, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, neither of them a demure violet at the crease, poked and prodded as if all the cricketing devils were ranged against them.

Their rate of progress was as good as invisible. At the end of the Powerplay 26-0; by half-way just 43-0! Both looked as nervous as kittens. The crowd was growing restive; surely they couldn’t fail to reach such a modest target.

The one saving feature was the bowlers’ failure to take wickets, and eventually the tide did turn. Wolvaardt unleashed one of her very best cover drives, and the spell was surely broken.

On paper the final margin, a 10-wicket win, looks as decisive as it wasn’t on the field of play. The normally hard-hitting Brits managed a mere four fours in a 51-ball stay.

This effort fell a long way short of posing a real challenge to their next opponents, England.

Result

Bangladesh 113-6
South Africa 117-0 (17.5 overs; Wolvaardt 60, Brits 50)
South Africa win by 10 wickets
Player of the Match Laura Wolvaardt

Yet that is the whirlwind rise that 18-year-old pace bowler has been on during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.

On 14 January, Marufa was part of the Bangladesh Under-19 side that pulled off an upset against Australia in the first match of the ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup.

That day she took two for 29 from her four overs to restrict Australia to 130 for five, which Bangladesh’s batters chased down with two overs to spare.

Exactly a month later, Marufa was facing the senior Australian side and showing no sign of fear she dismissed Beth Mooney, the second-best batter in the world, for two.

She runs in with arms and legs pumping and whirring into a blur, her face full of steely determination.

It is that determination that Perry copied as she sat in the Australia dugout, and it may not be long before we see other bowlers copying her celebration too.

As she claims a scalp, Marufa kisses her hands and raises them to the sky and it looks as if she is thanking a higher power.

It is not outside of the realm of possibility that this is exactly what she is doing following a journey to the World Cup stage which feels like it has involved some divine intervention.

Growing up in rural Bangladesh, Marufa had to fight for the opportunity to play cricket.

“First of all, my family was not very supportive because my father is a farmer so he actually wanted me to get a normal job,” Marufa explained. “But day by day when I started doing well, my family actually started supporting me very much.”

Moving to the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishtan, the national sports institute, she began to believe.

She added: “I worked very hard during those days. I didn’t think I was a good bowler but my coaches, Madam Fatima and Mr Pilu, taught me.

“I want to thank them for giving me, coming from a rural area, the opportunity to play for the national side.”

Her celebration was seen three times against Sri Lanka in their World Cup opener as she announced herself on the global stage.

Marufa’s first victim was the skipper, Chamari Athapaththu, who had grown frustrated at not being given a sniff by the young seamer and in the end, sent a simple catch to Lata Mondal.

Vishmi Gunaratne was Marufa’s next wicket, as she took the catch off her own bowling before a peach of a delivery undid Anushka Sanjeewani as her off-stump went tumbling with the very next ball.

Against New Zealand, Marufa did not reach the same heights, and she is yet to bowl her side to a victory, but it feels like it is only a matter of time.

She has only last opportunity in this World Cup against the hosts South Africa on Tuesday but win or lose, by the next World Cup, Perry will not be the only one copying her action.

With thanks to the ICC

Suzie Bates’s superb 81 runs runs set the White Ferns on their way to a first victory of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, validating their decision to bat first with a tournament-high 189 for three.

That proved far too much for the Tigresses, whose chances of a miraculous victory fell away after losing two wickets early in their reply, as they stuttered to 118 for eight.

Needing a big win to stand a chance of progressing to the last four, New Zealand opted for a hit and run approach from the off.

Bernadine Bezuidenhout started the innings with purpose, guiding a wide and fullish first ball from Marufa Akter down to the third man boundary.

That set the tone for a positive start which bordered on overzealous at times, with Bates likely to have been run out but for a poor throw inside the inner ring.

The White Ferns’ former captain started patiently, but after passing Australia’s Meg Lanning for most runs at Women’s T20 World Cups, soon found her stride.

Bezuidenhout kept her foot on the pedal too, and finished the powerplay just as she had started, with a controlled stroke to the fence as New Zealand sat nicely poised at 49 for no loss after six overs.

The pair continued to motor, punishing each poor delivery, before Bezuidenhout was dismissed looking to charge Shorna Akter just six short of her half-century.

Amelia Kerr joined Bates in the middle and made a handy 16 before she was dismissed caught and bowled by Fahima Khatun.

Fahima’s celebrations were muted then but they were not just a ball later when she split the gap between Sophie Devine’s bat and pad, sending the New Zealand skipper back to the hut when she was just three runs short of 3,000 T20I runs.

But Bates refused to let the innings drift, and after reaching her 50 off just 43 balls, found the boundary with increasing regularity, as did Maddy Green, who helped pile on the runs in the closing stages.

The pair hit 60 runs off the final five overs to post a mammoth 189 for three, with Green finishing unbeaten on 44 and Bates not out on 81.

Requiring a record run-chase to keep their knockout hopes alive, Bangladesh came out all guns blazing, hitting 12 off the first over including a gargantuan six from Shamima Sultana.

But hopes of an extraordinary win soon faded, with Hannah Rowe sending Shamima and Sobhana Mostary back to the hut in consecutive overs.

As the required run-rate soared, the pressure mounted and Nigar Sultana was the next to fall, bowled by Kerr for eight with Pakistan 54 for three in the tenth over.

Shorna and Murshida Khatun offered some resistance, both passing 30, but it was never going to be enough to threaten New Zealand on the scoreboard.

A flurry of late wickets arrived before the close, three of which came to Eden Carson, as New Zealand closed out a brilliant day in style.

Devine’s side could still make the knockout stages if they secure another resounding win over Sri Lanka and results elsewhere go their way, while Bangladesh will head home after their final game against hosts South Africa.

Scores in brief

New Zealand beat Bangladesh at Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town by 71 runs

New Zealand 189 for three in 20 overs (Suzie Bates 81 not out, Maddy Green 44 not out; Fahima Khatun 2/36, Shorna Akter 1/12)

Bangladesh 118 for eight in 20 overs (Shorna Akter 31, Murshida Khatun 30; Eden Carson 3/18, Hannah Rowe 2/15)

Player of the Match: Suzie Bates (New Zealand)

With thanks to the ICC

Lanning led a successful pursuit of Bangladesh’s 107, of which captain Nigar Sultana Joty contributed 57, with Georgia Wareham (3/20) among the Australian bowlers to shine.

Darcie Brown chipped in with for two for 23 before Alyssa Healy and Lanning’s partnership of 72 laid the foundations in the chase.

Bangladesh opted to bat upon winning the toss but they lost Shamima Sultana early, Beth Mooney taking a brilliant catch at extra cover from the bowling of Brown. The fast bowler’s second wicket soon followed as she uprooted Murshida Khatun’s leg stump with just 11 runs on the board.

Up stepped Bangladesh’s leading run scorer and captain Joty, who struck back-to-back fours to inject some momentum into the innings. By the end of the powerplay, she had 21 off 13 after hitting Alana King for four and a six in quick succession.

The skipper lost the company of Sobhana Mostary, who offered an easy catch to King and a first wicket for Wareham, who was making her first appearance of the competition.

Brown thought she had taken her third scalp of the evening just after the midway stage when Shorna Akter was given out caught behind, but the young batter survived on review.

The 16-year-old also escaped an lbw appeal in the next over and subsequently gave Joty a platform to become the first Bangladeshi to score an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup half-century, her’s from 41 balls, including seven boundaries.

Wareham struck twice in the 17th over, bowling Shorna for 12 shortly after the teenager’s first boundary, before repeating the trick to dismiss Rumana Ahmed and leave the score 90 for five.

Joty then departed, Lanning taking a routine catch from the bowling of Ashleigh Gardner, before Megan Schutt dismissed Nahida Akter at the death.

Marufa Akter, who shone in Bangladesh’s opener against Sri Lanka, picked up where she left off in the reply by taking the key early wicket of Mooney for two, but Alyssa Healy and Lanning soon started motoring. They hit five boundaries, including a fine six from the former, in the space of 11 balls to carry Australia to 45 for one by the end of the powerplay.

Lanning was then put down by Marufa, the 18-year-old unable to prevent the ball from squirming under her ambitious dive and away for four.

The second-wicket partnership soon passed 50 but was ended when Healy picked out Joty to provide Shorna with a breakthrough.

Gardner joined Lanning at the crease and hit the boundary from the second ball of the 18th over to take Australia top of Group 1.

Australia stay in Gqeberha to face table-toppers Sri Lanka on Thursday, while Bangladesh take on New Zealand at Newlands the following day.

Australia beat Bangladesh at St George’s Park, Gqeberha by eight wickets

Bangladesh 107 all out, 20 overs (Nigar Sultana Joty 57, Shorna Akter 12; Georgia Wareham 3/20, Darcie Brown 2/23)

Australia 111/2 in 18.2 overs (Meg Lanning 48, Alyssa Healy 37; Shorna Akter 1/12, Marufa Akter 1/19)

Player of the Match: Georgia Wareham (Australia)

With thanks to the ECB

Sri Lanka were reduced to 26 for three in the powerplay but Samarawickrama’s assured knock of 69 not out, coupled with De Silva’s unbeaten 41 at the other end, ensured Chamari Athapaththu’s side made it two wins in the space of three days at Newlands.

Bangladesh posted a total of 126 for eight in Cape Town as Oshadi Ranasinghe’s fine spell of three for 23 restricted them to a below-par total.

Laser-precise seamer Marufa Akter ripped through the Sri Lankan top order but Samarawickrama and De Silva steadied the ship to claim Sri Lanka’s first ever back-to-back wins at a Women’s T20 World Cup and extend their impressive start in Group A.

Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bat in Cape Town – but it was Sri Lanka who landed the first blow in dramatic fashion.

Opening batter Murshida Khatun was run out after facing just a single delivery from a fabulous direct hit from Inoka Ranaweera at short fine leg.

Sobhana Mostary and wicketkeeper Shamima Sultana set about laying the foundations for the innings before Shamima was stumped by opposite number Anushka Sanjeewani off the bowling of Ranasinghe for 20.

That brought Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana to the crease, who helped construct a patient partnership alongside No.3 Sobhana.

But it ended inside the 10th over when Sobhana was bowled by Athapaththu for 29.

Bangladesh were struggling to manufacture any form of meaningful partnership and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals throughout the innings.

Shamima succumbed to Ranasinghe for 28 before the off-spinner claimed her third victim by getting Lata Mondal stumped for 11.

That left Shamima’s side with considerable work to do during the final five overs, but Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni and Nahida Akter were all dismissed cheaply to leave them with a total of 126 for eight at the halfway stage.

Sri Lanka may have fancied their chances setting out in pursuit of a chaseable-looking target – but Marufu had other ideas after being handed the ball by Shamima under the Cape Town lights.

The accurate seamer remarkably removed Athapaththu, Vishmi Gunaratne and Sanjeewani without conceding a single run in her spell, tearing through the Sri Lankan top order to leave them reeling at 26 for three inside the powerplay.

But that brought the composed duo of Samarawickrama and De Silva to the crease, who set about the recovery mission with alacrity and continued to chip away at the total.

And they showed no signs of letting their ever-increasing grip on the game slip, bringing up their hundred partnership in the 19th over and guiding their country to a historic second win on the spin at Newlands.

Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh at Cape Town by seven wickets

Bangladesh 126 for eight in 20 overs (Sobhana Mostary 29, Nigar Sultana 28; Oshadi Ranasinghe 3/23, Chamari Athapaththu 2/19)

Sri Lanka 129/3 in 18.2 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 69 not out, Nilakshi de Silva 41 not out; Marufa Akter 3/23)

With thanks to the ICC

Sophia Dunkley rescued England with a maiden World Cup fifty as the holders recovered from 96 for four to set Bangladesh 235 to win.

Chasing what would have been their highest score in ODIs, the Tigresses never got going as Sophie Ecclestone restricted their scoring and ensured England’s passage to the semi-finals after winning their final four league games.

They now await the wait the result of the last league match between India and South Africa, which will decide whether India advance too and if they will manage a huge win and finish ahead of England. The team that finishes fourth will play favourites Australia.

England’s opening woes continued as Danni Wyatt departed for six, having chosen to bat, with captain Heather Knight caught behind for the same score.

Nat Sciver and Tammy Beaumont then put on a 60-run partnership before falling in quick succession, Fahima Khatun involved both times, taking the catch to dismiss Beaumont before trapping Sciver LBW for 40.

Dunkley would join Amy Jones in the middle as the pair added 78 runs to the total, Dunkley’s innings ending after another promising partnership with Katherine Brunt, her 67 coming from 72 balls.

Brunt and Ecclestone added 24 runs from the final 16 balls of the innings as England ended on 234 for six as Bangladesh became the only team in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup to not concede more than 250 runs in any innings.

Their issue was they had failed to make 250 in any of their own innings and would now be chasing their highest total ever in ODIs.

Bangladesh emerged from the powerplay unscathed but having made only 23 runs, by the time their 100 runs came up they had already used up 36.4 overs.

England would be indebted to their spin twins Ecclestone and Charlie Dean, the former conceding just 15 runs as she bowled four maidens in her 10 overs.

Dean was more wayward but responded nicely to mop up Bangladesh’s tail, dismissing top-scorer Lata Mondol for 30 from 45 balls to leave the Tigresses on 126 for seven.

The final three wickets would fall for seven runs as Freya Davies earned two wickets on her maiden appearance at a World Cup.

Scores in brief

England beat Bangladesh at Basin Reserve, Wellington by 100 runs
England 234/6 in 50 overs (Sophia Dunkley 67, Nat Sciver 40; Salma Khatun 2/46)
Bangladesh 134 all out in 48 overs (Lata Mondol 30; Sophie Ecclestone 3/15, Charlie Dean 3/31)
Player of the Match: Sophia Dunkley (England)

With thanks to the ICC

After winning the toss, Australia took regular wickets through spin to reduce Bangladesh to 135 for six from their 43 overs after the start was delayed by rain in Wellington.

Spin continued to dominate as Bangladesh took the ball, Salma Khatun reducing Australia to 41 for four at the first drinks break before a defiant Beth Mooney guided her side, who had already secured their semi-final spot, to a seventh straight win with an unbeaten 66.

Having been put in to bat, Bangladesh made a steady start taking 28 runs from the first six overs before the spin of Ashleigh Gardner and Jess Jonassen was introduced.

Gardner would get the first wicket of the innings, dismissing Murshida Khatun for 12 from 17 balls as Rachael Haynes held on to a good catch.

That brought Fargana Hoque to the crease and she became the first Bangladeshi women to pass 1000 ODI runs before nicking Annabel Sutherland behind to Alyssa Healy for eight.

Australia then smartly reviewed to have Sharmin Akhter given out LBW, DRS confirming Jonassen’s delivery was hitting the top of leg stump as Bangladesh slipped to 58 for three.

The experienced heads of Nigar Sultana and Rumana Ahmed played calmly, taking five runs off the next 25 balls before Nigar departed for seven from 30 balls when trying to relieve the dot ball pressure.

Bangladesh continued to build promising partnerships, Rumana and Lata Mondol adding 33 for the fifth wicket before the former was caught by Jonassen at mid-off for Gardner’s second wicket of the day to leave the Tigresses on 95 for five with 8.4 overs remaining.

Lata was the final wicket to fall as Megan Schutt had her stumped after she top-scored with 33 from 63 balls, wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy whipping off the non-existent bails after they were removed due to the blustery conditions.

Salma was there at the end on 15 not out from 23 balls as Bangladesh set Australia 136 to win, no easy task given the weather.

But it wasn’t the wind that caused Australia problems, it was Bangladesh’s bowlers with Salma the principal architect of the initial collapse.

Healy was first to go after holing out to Jahanara Alam in the deep for 15 from 22 as Salma became the first Bangladeshi bowler to take a wicket against Australia with this the first ever ODI clash between the sides.

Meg Lanning’s 30^th birthday did not come with a present from her opponents as she was clean-bowled for a duck by a peach of a delivery from Salma, only the fourth time the Australian captain has failed to trouble the scorers in 98 ODIs.

Only three more runs were added before Haynes departed for seven from 23 deliveries as Salma single-handedly reduced Australia to 26 for three.

The injured Ellyse Perry could only watch on as Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath were moved up the order and now had a real job to do. But McGrath only made three, given out LBW off the bowling of Nahida Akter.

Mooney instead combined with the hard-striking Gardner to build the biggest partnership of the innings so far, adding 29 runs.

But Gardner had to go when she was bowled by Rumana who broke the partnership with her 50^th ODI wicket, the first woman to reach a half century for Bangladesh, repeating the feat Gardner managed herself in the first innings.

Mooney steadied a rocking Australia ship with a fifty from 60 balls, scoring only four fours as she realised the aerial route spelt danger, instead rotating the strike with Sutherland as the light began to fade.

The duo were there at the end after putting on the 66 runs needed for victory to see Australia home with 65 balls to spare to complete the clean sweep.

Bangladesh’s very slim hopes of joining Australia in the semi-finals were ended by the loss but they have another chance to pull off an upset against England in Wellington on Sunday.

Scores in brief

Australia beat Bangladesh at Basin Reserve, Wellington by five wickets

Bangladesh 135/6 in 43 overs (Lata Mondol 33, Sharmin Akhter 24; Jess Jonassen 2/13, Ashleigh Gardner 2/23)
Australia 136/5 in 32.1 overs (Beth Mooney 66 not out, Annabel Sutherland 26 not out; Salma Khatun 3/23)
Player of the Match: Beth Mooney (Australia)

With thanks to the ICC

Yastika Bhatia’s half-century was the standout knock in India’s 229 for seven, though Ritu Moni’s three for 37 – including two in two balls – gave Bangladesh hopes of a famous win.

But Sneh Rana (four for 30) and Rajeshwari Gayakwad (one for 15 from 10 overs) left the Tigresses in a spin and they never recovered from a slow start despite the best efforts of Salma Khatun, who made a brisk 32.

Both sides made changes having been beaten last time out, India bringing in leg-spinner Poonam Yadav for seam bowler Meghna Singh while Bangladesh replaced Shamima Sultana and Fariha Trisna with Murshida Khatun and Lata Mondal.

Mithali Raj opted to bat upon winning the toss and India made a strong start, Smriti Mandhana getting the scoreboard moving with back-to-back boundaries to conclude the second over.

Her opening partner Shafali Verma went one better in the ninth, striking Nahida Akter for what would turn out to be the only six of the innings over long-on, and three boundaries in the following over saw India end the powerplay well set on 52 without loss.

Bangladesh needed a breakthrough and Nahida provided it when Mandhana picked out Fargana Hoque at square leg to fall for 30 and end the opening partnership on 74.

One became three in the blink of an eye, Ritu Moni accounting for Verma and Raj in consecutive deliveries in the next over as a jubilant Bangladesh checked India’s momentum.

Yastika Bhatia and Harmanpreet Kaur were tasked with the rebuilding job and it was one they set about cautiously, the pair content to rotate the strike as the Bangladesh attack kept boundaries to a minimum.

Just two arrived between the fall of Raj in the 16^th over and midway through the 30^th, a spell which also included the departure of Kaur for 14 courtesy of a direct hit from Fargana at mid-on.

Richa Ghosh joined Bhatia and was quickly up and running with successive fours through point, though the cut shot would later bring her downfall.

Ghosh survived being dropped off Ritu but it was not a costly miss as she did not add to her score of 26 before falling to Nahida in the next over, Nigar Sultana making amends behind the stumps.

Bhatia brought up a patient 79-ball half-century but fell to the next delivery, leaving India 176 for six at the start of the 44^th over, but useful late cameos from Pooja Vastrakar (30 not out) and Sneh Rana (27 from 23) pushed them above 200.

Bangladesh’s pursuit of 230 started slowly, Murshida’s six over cover in the fifth over, Bangladesh’s first maximum at a World Cup, doubling her side’s score, and a quick double blow before the end of the powerplay dented their hopes.

Sharmin Akhter was caught at slip attempting a booming off-drive off Gayakwad before Fargana was trapped in front by a full Vastrakar delivery without scoring.

Bangladesh were 19 for two at the 10-over mark, the lowest score after the powerplay in the tournament so far, and the mountain they had to climb became steeper when captain Nigar holed out attempting to increase the run rate.

Murshida, dropped twice, saw her luck run out when she was smartly taken by Kaur off Yadav for 19 and it was 35 for five when a successful review showed the ball had flicked Rumana Ahmed’s glove en route to Bhatia at short leg, handing Rana a second wicket in her miserly opening spell.

Salma provided a glimmer of light for Bangladesh, hitting four boundaries in her 32 before edging Jhulan Goswami behind to all but seal her side’s fate.

There was still time for both Vastrakar and Rana to move level at the top of the wicket-takers list for the tournament, each bowler claiming their 10^th scalp as India wrapped up a convincing victory to leave Bangladesh on the brink of elimination.

Scores in brief

India beat Bangladesh at Seddon Park, Hamilton by 110 runs
India 229/7 in 50 overs (Yastika Bhatia 50, Shafali Verma 42; Ritu Moni 3/37, Nahida Akter 2/42)
Bangladesh 119 all out in 40.3 overs (Salma Khatun 32,; Sneh Rana 4/30, Jhulan Goswami 2/19)
Player of the Match: Yastika Bhatia (India)

With thanks to the ICC

A defiant unbeaten 53 from Shemaine Campbelle saw the Windies recover from 70 for seven to post 140 as Bangladesh’s spinners suffocated the middle order.

Afy Fletcher brought the West Indies back as she helped to reduce the opposition to 60 for five but Bangladesh battled back to take the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 league match to the final over before falling just short.

Deandra Dottin was the first to fall for 17 when she was caught behind off the bowling of Jahanara Alam who celebrated jubilantly before captain Nigar Sultana took a fantastic catch above her head to dismiss the other opener Hayley Matthews for 18.

That gave Nahida Akter a wicket off her first ball before she conceded her first boundary to Rashada Williams, ominously it would be the last for 20 overs as Bangladesh turned the screw.

Stafanie Taylor was the first of five batters in a row who would fall for single figures as she went for four after being deceived by the flight of a Nahida delivery.

Two balls later, Williams would fall for the same score, mistiming a drive and sending the ball straight to Fargana Hoque Pinky to leave the West Indies stuttering on 48 for four.

While another wicket would not fall for the next 12 overs, only 12 runs were scored as the West Indies’ attacking intent came to a juddering halt.

Chedean Nation was run out for six off 37 balls thanks to a direct hit from Fargana before more maidens and wickets followed.

Aaliyah Alleyne departed for a 12-ball duck, a review unable to save her from being given out LBW

The pressure was temporarily eased when Campbelle sent a full and wide delivery for four, the first boundary for 124 balls, but Chinelle Henry was caught and bowled by Salma Khatun for a duck.

Campbelle remained with 14 from 63 balls but it appeared that she may run out of partners with the West Indies on 70 for seven with 14.3 overs left.

However, she shared a 32-run partnership with Fletcher, the pair rotating the strike well. Fletcher departed for 17 from 28 balls as Fahima Khatun got her hands to a low catch for Ritu Moni’s first wicket.

Campbelle and new partner Karishma Ramharack both survived being dropped as Bangladesh struggled to get the job done.

After 105 balls, Campbelle’s fifty finally came with only three balls remaining, her patient contribution adding necessary runs to a meagre start as the West Indies ended on 140 for nine.

Bangladesh had a less-than-ideal start to their chase as Shamima Sultana was trapped LBW by Matthews for a five-ball duck.

Sharmin Akter, 17 off 25, then became Matthews’ second wicket of the powerplay, sending a low catch to Dottin at slip.

Nigar and Fargana rebuilt from 30 for two, only for Fargana’s leg stump to be uprooted by Fletcher to leave Bangladesh 60 for three, the spinner celebrating by miming video-calling her young son.

Fletcher would get two more as Rumana went without scoring, Campbelle again involved, taking the catch behind the stumps before Ritu was out LBW the very next ball.

While Salma safely negotiated the hat-trick ball, Bangladesh had slipped to 60 for five and Matthews then swung the game further towards the West Indies with her own double-wicket over.

Nigar was out LBW for 25 from 77 before Fahima was bowled with a peach of a delivery, one of five ducks in the innings, as Matthews ended her ten overs with a career-best four for 15.

Salma was dropped twice as she anchored Bangladesh’s resistance, but skipper Taylor saw the back of her for 23 to leave Bangladesh needing 31 off 41 with two wickets remaining.

Ramharack took the catch to dismiss Salma before also holding on to a swipe from Jahanara to leave Bangladesh’s fate in the hands of Nahida.

There was a break in play as Shamilia Connell received treatment after collapsing before being helped from the field, and when the action resumed Nahida put Bangladesh within touching distance before Fariha Trisna chopped on off Taylor as the West Indies became the first side to defend 140 or less in five years.

Scores in brief

West Indies beat Bangladesh at Bay Oval, Tauranga by four runs
West Indies 140/9 in 50.0 overs (Shemaine Campbelle 53 not out, Hayley Matthews 18; Salma Khatun 2/23, Nahida Akter 2/23)
Bangladesh 136 all out in 49.3 overs (Nahida Akter 25 not out, Nigar Sultana 25; Hayley Matthews 4/15, Afy Fletcher 3/29, Stafanie Taylor 3/29)
Player of the Match: Hayley Matthews (West Indies)

With thanks to the ICC

The batter anchored the Tigresses to 234 for seven before Fahima Khatun took three late wickets to help restrict Pakistan to 225 for nine, despite Sidra Amin’s superb 104.

Pakistan struggled to keep up with the required run-rate and lost regular wickets during the final 10 overs, just as they were looking to up the tempo, and never looked favourites to win.

They remain without an ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup victory in 13 years, while Bangladesh celebrated a major milestone in their development after an impressive all-round display.

With batting second the favoured option in Hamilton, it was advantage Pakistan, as they won the toss and elected to field.

Shamima Sultana was the first batter to fall in the ninth over as she hit Nida Dar straight to midwicket for 17, bringing Fargana to the crease.

The Tigresses finished the powerplay on 51 for one, with Sharmin Akhter on a run-a-ball 29, but some miserly bowling from Pakistan slowed her down before she gloved an Omaima Sohail delivery back onto her own stumps for 44.

That left Bangladesh on 79 for two at the beginning of the 20^th over, with Fargana on just eight off 32 deliveries and knowing she now had to step up and anchor the innings. Fortunately for Bangladesh, she did just that.

While miserly Pakistan bowling restricted Bangladesh, Fargana hit a much-needed boundary mid-way through the 25^th over as they reached the halfway stage at 92 for two.

Sensing her moment, the No.3 smacked Fatima Sana for successive boundaries at the beginning of the 31^st, while she then had an LBW decision overturned after initially being given out.

With Nigar Sultana brilliant at finding ones and twos and Pakistan struggling for wickets, Bangladesh worked their way into a promising position as Fargana brought up her ninth ODI half-century off 89 balls.

Nigar (46) fell in the 40^th over after a busy 64-ball innings that brought just one boundary and her replacement, Rumana Ahmed, upped the tempo alongside Fargana.

Successive boundaries helped Bangladesh past 200 in the 44^th over but Rumana’s 13-ball cameo ended in the next as she holed out off Nashra Sundhu.

The same bowler also removed Fargana two overs later by finding the edge of her bat for 71 and then trapped Fahima Khatun LBW with the very next ball.

Salma Khatun was forced to block the hat-trick ball, while some clever running through the rest of the innings helped Bangladesh to their highest-ever women’s ODI score.

Pakistan made a promising start in reply, with Sidra and Nahida Khan at the top of the order. They reached 46 for no loss at the end of the powerplay and then brought up the 50 partnership in the 13^th.

The breakthrough came in the 24^th over, as Nahida chopped a Rumana delivery onto her own stumps for 43, ending a promising 91-run stand.

Sidra was then dropped twice in the space of three overs, including a simple chance at point from a thick edge, but Pakistan’s main concern was an increasing run-rate which had creeped to over six.

They reached the final 10 overs requiring 67 with eight wickets in hand and when they scored 11 off the 41^st over, it looked like the game would go down to the wire.

But Sidra was soon running out of partners, as Omaima went for 10 and Nida Dar for a first-ball duck, while the 44^th over proved a key turning point.

Fahima Khatun took two wickets in two balls to remove Aliya Riaz and Fatima Sana, before Sidra Nawaz was run out for just one to leave Pakistan on 188 for seven.

Sidra Amin brought up her maiden ODI century shortly after but was run out for 104 in the 48^th and though Pakistan needed 16 to win off the last, they fell nine runs short.

Scores in brief

Bangladesh beat Pakistan at Seddon Park, Hamilton by nine runs
Bangladesh 234/7 in 50 overs (Fargana Hoque 71, Nigar Sultana 46, Sharmin Akhter 44; Nashra Sundhu 3/41)
Pakistan 225/9 in 50 overs (Sidra Ameen 104, Nahida Khan 43; Fahima Khatun 3/38, Rumana Ahmed 2/29)

With thanks to the ICC