Sports
ICC World Cup Bangladesh women's cricket team beat Thailand, book World Cup berth
Dhaka, September 24: Bangladesh women's cricket team achieved their initial goal with their fourth consecutive victory in the World Cup qualifiers. With a win in the semi-final match against Thailand by 11 runs, Bangladesh confirmed the ticket to the main stage of next year's T20 World Cup along with the final.
Bangladesh could not score more than 113 runs for 5 wickets batting first at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. However, with a small total, they fought hard and restricted the Thai women to 102 runs. As a result, Nigar Sultana Jyoti's team reached the World Cup as the second team after Ireland.
Chasing the target of 114 runs, Thailand fell under severe pressure at the beginning. In five overs of the innings, only 13 runs were scored while three batters were sent back to the pavillion. Left-arm spinner Sanjida Akhtar Meghla took a double wicket maiden in her first over.
From there, Naruemol Chaiwai and Nattakan Chantam added 32 runs for the fourth wicket. Skipper Naruemol played an innings of 12 runs off 27 balls before getting out in the 13th over of the innings. Which only increased the pressure on the team.
Then Chanida Sutthiruang retired injured. Chantam made a last effort with Sornnarin Tippoch coming in his place. Especially in the last three overs in need of 51 runs, she gave the impression of winning the game with 16 runs in the 18th over and 13 runs in the 19th over.
But Chantam got nothing beyond a personal fifty. The 26-year-old Chantam scored 64 off 51 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes, before becoming the second victim of veteran offspinner Salma Khatun in the last over of the innings. In the end, Thailand scored 102 runs for 6 wickets.
For Bangladesh, Salma took 3 wickets for just 18 runs in 4 overs. Besides Meghla picked up two and Nahida Akhtar got one wicket.
