Bangladesh spoil Netherlands’ T20 World Cup debut with a six-wicket chase in Birmingham

Bangladesh opened their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign with a six-wicket win over Netherlands, spoiling the Dutch side’s first appearance at the tournament. Juairiya Ferdous lit up the chase with a brisk fifty and Sharmin Akhter saw it through, steering Bangladesh home at Edgbaston after a mid-innings wobble had briefly threatened to undo the start.

De Leede holds the Netherlands innings together

Put in to bat, the Dutch lost Phebe Molkenboer inside the second over and kept offering Bangladesh openings, but captain Babette de Leede gave the innings a spine. She made 50 off 45 balls, the only score of real substance, before she was run out in the 17th over when Shorna Akter and wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana combined to break the stand.

That was one of two run-outs that hurt the Dutch, and Bangladesh shared the rest of the work around. Marufa Akter finished with two wickets, while Fariha Trisna, Sanjida Akter Meghla, Rabeya Khan and Ritu Moni took one apiece. Ritu Moni’s four overs cost only 17. Late hitting from Iris Zwilling and Silver Siegers, both unbeaten, nudged Netherlands to 139 for 8, a few more than had looked likely when they slipped to 76 for 5.

Ferdous flies before a Bangladesh stumble

The reply began at a gallop. Ferdous took on the new ball and reached 50 off 33 deliveries, hitting seven fours and two sixes, and with Dilara Akter she put on 67 inside eight overs. For a while the chase looked a formality.

Then it tightened. Ferdous fell for her fifty, Nigar Sultana went next ball without scoring, and when Dilara Akter departed for 26 and Sobhana Mostary was run out, Bangladesh had slipped from 67 without loss to 85 for 4. Caroline de Lange, who took two wickets, had dragged Netherlands back into the contest and handed the debutants a genuine sniff.

Sharmin and Shorna finish the job

The closing overs belonged to Sharmin Akhter and Shorna Akter. The pair added an unbroken 56 for the fifth wicket, turning down the risky shot and working the gaps to keep the required rate in check. Sharmin was there at the end on 37 not out, Shorna on 18, and Bangladesh knocked off the target with five balls to spare.

The two points hand Bangladesh a winning start to the group, while Netherlands can take something from a debut that stayed alive deep into the chase. The Dutch will rue the two run-outs and a middle order that could not build around de Leede, the margins that decided a closer game than the result suggests.

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