The Bangladesh Women’s cricket team clinched a long-awaited victory in their opening match of the ICC T20 World Cup, defeating Scotland by 16 runs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the UAE.
This win marks only their second triumph in the prestigious tournament, with their first victory dating back to 2014 when they hosted the event. Although political turmoil forced the relocation of this edition to the UAE, Bangladesh still retains the hosting rights.
The victory was especially memorable for skipper Nigar Sultana Joty, who celebrated her 100th T20 International appearance, becoming the first Bangladeshi female cricketer to reach this milestone. Although Joty contributed just 18 runs, she emphasized the importance of the win.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Joty said after the match. “We knew this was our moment, and it means a lot to us.”
Opting to bat first, Bangladesh posted 119 for 7, with Sobhana Mostary top-scoring with a steady 36 and opener Sathi Rani contributing 29. Despite a promising start, the Tigresses lost wickets in quick succession, but Mostary held the innings together with her aggressive 38-ball knock, hitting two boundaries.
In response, Scotland were restricted to 103 for 7, with opener Sarah Bryce’s valiant unbeaten 49 going in vain. Bangladesh’s bowlers performed admirably, led by Ritu Moni, who picked up 2 for 15 in her four overs. Marufa Akter, Nahida Akter, Fahima Khatun, and Rabeya Khan each claimed one wicket.
“It was a decent wicket, so I aimed to bowl wicket-to-wicket and use my variations,” Ritu said after the match. “We’ve put in a lot of hard work over the past year, and it’s a proud moment for me and the team.”
Bangladesh now look ahead to their next challenge, as they face England on October 5 at the same venue. The Tigresses will then play West Indies and South Africa on October 11 and 13, respectively, as they aim for a spot in the semifinals.
