Heather Knight rode her luck and saved the blushes for England in this tight contest against Bangladesh. Heather Knight looked out of sorts but grinded it out there to win the game for England in the end. They first put Bangladesh into bat first, and kept them down to 178 in 49.4 overs with Sophie Ecclestone picking up 3 wickets while Sobhana Mostary made 60 and Rabeya Khan made 43 quick runs in the end.
In reply, England huffed and puffed in the chase as they made heavy weather of the chase. Heather Knight survived thrice and got luck going her way as her unbeaten 79 alongside contributions from other players like Charlie Dean took England over the line as they made it 2 wins out of 2 games and as they went to the top of the points table with the win. Plenty of positives for Bangladesh despite the loss.
Sophie Ecclestone’s impressive 3-wicket haul restricts Bangladesh to 178 in 49.4 overs
Put into bat first, Rubya Haider and Sharmin Akhter came out to bat for Bangladesh while Lauren Bell had ball in hand for England. Akhter managed to get a boundary away through the outside edge into the slip cordon and away to the third man fence. Linsey Smith took the new ball from the other end. She started her spell with a miserly over. Akhter took the attack to Bell by hitting her for consecutive boundaries through cover point and to the fine leg fence as well. Akhter did it again as she nicely guided it past the slip cordon for a boundary. Smith continued and bowled another tidy over.
Bell provided the breakthrough for England as she removed Haider for 4 off 9 balls. Bell bowled a good length delivery around off-stump. Haider advanced down the track and looked to lift it down the ground but the bat turned in her hands on impact. She miscued it as Dunkley at mid-off backtracked and took a good catch. Captain Nigar Sultana came out to bat next. Smith struck next getting rid of Sultana for a silver duck.
Smith tossed it up nicely outside off-stump. Sultana planted her front leg and was early into the push. She ended up chipping it straight to short covers where Dean took a safe catch. Sobhana Mostary came out to bat next. Bell continued and bowled a maiden over. Smith too kept things under check.
Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt came into the attack next. Mostary took it on by leaning into it by driving through the diving cover fielder. Sophie Ecclestone came into the attack to bowl the final over of powerplay. She started her spell with a maiden over as Bangladesh crawled their way to 31/2 in 10 overs.
Nat Sciver-Brunt continued as Mostary pulled her away through the long leg region as the ball went away to the fence. Two balls later Mostary again hit Nat by cutting her past the diving backward point fielder for a boundary. Ecclestone continued as Mostary caressed her through the covers square of the wicket for a boundary. Charlie Dean came into the attack next. She started with a miserly over.
Ecclestone continued as Akhter hit the short ball away by cutting it past cover point for a boundary. Dean continued and bowled a decent over. Ecclestone continued and got rid of Akhter for 30 off 52 balls. Sophie bowled a short delivery outside the off-stump spinning away. Sharmin on the backfoot pushed at the ball to play through the off-side. She got an outside edge that carried at waist height to Amy Jones. Shorna Akter came out to bat next.
Dean continued as Mostary got the edge past the keeper and through the slip cordown and away to the third man fence for a boundary. Ecclestone continued and bowled a quiet over. Dean bowled a decent over as well. Ecclestone bowled another quiet over as Bangladesh reached 76/3 in 20 overs. Akter broke the shackles as she swung hard and got down on one knee. She crashed it across the line beating midwicket for a boundary. Linsey Smith came back into the attack. She too bowled a decent over.
Charlie Dean struck for England getting rid of Akter for 10 off 23 balls with a boundary to her name. Dean bowled on a length outside the off-stump. Shorna came down on one knee and swung across the line for an attacking sweep and got a feather edge to Amy Jones who made no mistake. Ritu Moni came out to bat next. Smith continued and bowled a decent over. Dean then bowled a maiden over as Bangladesh at the halfway stage of the innings were 88/4 in 25 overs.
Smith continued and bowled another maiden over. Nat Sciver-Brunt came back into the attack. She too kept things under check. Alice Capsey came onto bowl next. She too started with a miserly over. Sciver-Brunt continued and bowled another good over. Capsey bowled a maiden over as Bangladesh reached 92/4 in 30 overs. Sciver-Brunt continued as Mostary drover her through the covers for a boundary. Mostary was on a roll as she opened the face of the bat and guided it to short third man region for a boundary. The 100 came up for Bangladesh in 30.5 overs.
Capsey continued and bowled another decent over. Lauren Bell returned to the bowling attack as she too bowled a decent spell. Charlie Dean struck for England as she got rid of Moni for 5 off 36 balls. Dean tossed it up on the stumps, Moni danced down the track and swung hard at it looking to heave it into the leg side but didn’t get it off the middle of the bat. She picked out Linsey Smith at deep midwicket who took the catch safely.
Fahima Khatun came out to bat next. Dean finished the successful over. Bell continued and bowled another quiet over. Dean continued as Mostary was dropped while batting on 49 as Amy Jones dropped a tough catch. Bell was tight and gave nothing away to the batting side. Mostary got to her maiden ODI fifty off 92 balls as she held the innings together. Ecclestone came back into the attack and bowled another quiet over. Capsey bowled the 40th over and gave away just 3 runs as Bangladesh reached 121/5 in 40 overs.
Ecclestone struck for England getting rid of Khatun for 7 off 25 balls. Sophie from around the wicket bowled a full length delivery on the off-stump line. Khatun got forward trying to drive the ball into the leg side but played all over it. The ball went straight through the gap between bat and pad and clattered onto the stumps. Nahida Akter came out to bat next. Capsey continued as Mostary took her on by coming down the track and cleared mid-off for a boundary.
Ecclestone continued and got rid of Nahida Akter for 1 off 8 balls. Sophie bowled full and flighted delivery outside the off-stump. Little movement on the front foot but she chipped the ball straight into the hands of Charlie Dean at cover with the off-spinner taking the catch at comfortable height. Rabeya Khan comes out to bat next.
Rabeya took the attack to Capsey by sweeping it over square leg for a boundary. Two balls later, Rabeya went down on one knee and slog swept it in front of square for a boundary. Ecclestone continued and bowled a decent over and finished her spell as well. Bangladesh were 145/7 in 45 overs. Linsey Smith came back into the attack as Rabeya took her on by slapping it over the umpire’s head for a boundary. Rabeya then got an edge past Jones and away to the third man fence for another boundary.
Alice Capsey came back into the attack. She got rid of Mostary on a successful use of DRS as she fell for 60 off 108 balls with 8 fours to her name. Capsey bowled a good length off-break hitting the front pad close to the off-stump line pitching outside off-stump and turning in. Mostary moved across to work it in the leg side and missed it. The umpire gave it NOT OUT and the DRS was taken. Ball Tracking showed three reds and Mostary had to go. Marufa Akter came out to bat next. Akter fell first ball to Capsey.
Capsey bowled full length delivery away from the off-stump line. Marufa was down on one knee and looked to play a flat batted slog in the leg side. She got a top edge skewing the ball down the ground. Bell at mid-off back pedalled and took it over her head. She appeared off-balance but had complete control over the ball by taking the catch in her safe hands. Sanjida Akter Megha came out to bat next.
Linsey Smith continued and bowled a decent over. Rabeya took the attack to Capsey by getting down on one knee and paddled it up and over short fine leg for a boundary. England used a tactical review against Meghla but the inside edge saved her as the England team lost their review. Rabeya then took on Smith by clearing her front leg lunging forward and launched it high in the air over long-on for the maximum. Rabeya hit Linsey Smith again by shuffling across and sweeping it behind square for a boundary. But she took a single off the third ball to get off strike.
She regretted it as Megha got out to Smith for 1 off 7 balls. Smith bowled a fuller length outside off-stump. Meghla shuffled across and went deep in the crease. She lost her shape and tried to heave it over mid-on. She mistimed the slog straight in the safe hands of Nat Sciver-Brunt inside the ring. Bangladesh were bowled out for 178 in 49.4 overs with Rabeya remaining unbeaten on 43 off 27 balls with 6 fours and 1 six to her name. 17 extras given by the fielding side England.
Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers for England with magnificent figures of 3/24 in 10 overs. She was ably supported by Charlie Dean who finished with 2/28 in 10 overs. Alice Capsey chipped in with 2/31 in 8 overs. Linsey Smith chipped in with 2/33 in 9.4 overs. Lauren Bell chipped in with 1/28 in 7 overs. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt bowled 5 overs and gave away 32 runs and remained wicketless. This meant that England needed a target of 179 runs to win off 50 overs to make it 2 wins out of 2 games.
Heather Knight rides her luck and scores unbeaten 79 to take England over the line in a tense run chase
Chasing 179 for the win, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones came out to open for England while Marufa Akter had ball in hand for Bangladesh. Marufa should have had Jones out LBW but the umpire said NO and the DRS was not taken by Bangladesh. But Jones did not last long as she fell to Marufa for 1 off 3 balls. Marufa bowled it a little fuller than the good length outside off-stump and got to shape back in, lovely seam presentation. Jones without any foot movement drove and got beaten on the inside edge. She wore it on the back pad in front of the stumps. The umpire gave it OUT and Jones decided to walk off. Heather Knight came out to bat next at 3.
Nahida Akter took the ball from the other end. Tammy Beaumont was given a reprieve as Marufa dropped her at covers. Nahida bowled a maiden over. Heather Knight was given OUT to Marufa but the replays were inconclusive and the decision changed to NOT OUT. Knight opened her account by punching it between covers and backward point for a boundary. Beaumont caressed Nahida through backward point for a boundary. Marufa continued and bowled a tidy over.
Beaumont guided Nahida through short third man for a boundary. Heather got into the act as she swept it along the ground past short fine leg for a boundary. Marufa got Bangladesh another breakthrough as she removed Tammy Beaumont for 13 off 17 balls with 2 boundaries to her name. Marufa bowled the inswinger that pitched outside off-stump that shaped back in, Beaumont shuffled and looked to defend it but got beaten on the inside edge. She wore it on the front pad. The appeal was turned down. Sultana opted for the review and ball tracking showed Three Reds and Beaumont had to go. Nat Sciver-Brunt came out to bat next. She got off the mark soon.
Knight was given OUT for LBW off Marufa Akter, but she reviewed and got the decision overturned in her favour again. Sanjida Akter Meghla came into the attack next. Meghla bowled a miserly over. Nat Sciver-Brunt crisply drove Marufa through the covers for a boundary. Sciver-Brunt beat mid-off and got the ball from Marufa to the mid-off fence. Nat became the third highest run scorer for England as well. Nat once again pulled the full toss through forward square leg for a boundary. Meghla bowled a tight over. At the end of 10 overs at the conclusion of the first powerplay, England were 45/2.
Rabeya Khan came into the attack post the powerplay. Sciver-Brunt greeted her with a cracking boundary through the cover region. The 50 came up for England in 10.2 overs. Sciver-Brunt went deep in the crease and worked in the gap between mid-on and midwicket for a boundary off Rabeya. Meghla continued and kept things under check.
Fahima Khatun came onto the attack next. She bowled a decent over. Nahida came back into the attack next. She too kept things under check as England reached 64/2 in 14 overs at the first Drinks Break. Fahima continued and she and whole of Bangladesh though they had Heather Knight dismissed. But the TV umpire was called for a clean catch. After various replays she decided to go with the batting team as Heather survived a huge scare and this proved to be the turning point and clincher for the game.
Nahida continued and bowled a decent over. Fahima continued and kept things under check. Rabeya Khan came back into the attack. She bowled a decent second over after being expensive in her opening spell. Fahima Khatun struck for Bangladesh as she got rid of Nat Sciver-Brunt for 32 off 41 balls with 5 fours to her name.
Khatun bowled a flighted dipping full toss outside off-stump. Sciver-Brunt took a step outside the crease and tried to work the ball through the leg side. She chipped it uppishly straight in the hands of Fargana Hoque at midwicket. Sophia Dunkley came out to bat next.
Khatun had two in the over as she dismissed Dunkley for a bronze duck. Full and flighted delivery on the middle and leg stump line. Dunkley prod forward playing for the leg spin but the ball went straight through to beat her inside edge and crashed just below the front knee roll. The umpire gave it OUT. The review was taken as the wickets was umpire’s call. The decision stood and so did the review. Emma Lamb came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
Rabeya delivered a maiden over as England reached 70/4 in 20 overs. Fahima continued and bowled a decent over. Rabeya continued as Heather advanced down the track and got underneath it to the right of middle of the bat clearing long-on for the maximum. Emma Lamb survived a close run out check at the bowler’s end. Fahima got another wicket as she dismissed Lamb for 1 off 12 balls.
Fahima bowled a flighted full length delivery outside the off-stump line. Lamb stepped down the crease but failed to negotiate it well. She looked to launch it over mid-on but found Nahida Akter at mid-on who took a tumbling good catch. The umpires again sent this upstairs for a clean catch. Replays showed that the ball was underneath the ball and so, OUT is the verdict that remained. Alica Capsey came out to bat next.
Capsey got off the mark by going back and crunching through the covers for a boundary. Nahida came back into the attack and bowled a decent over. Rabeya Khan came back into the attack. Capsey slapped it from her crease through covers and extra cover for a boundary. At the halfway stage of the chase, England were 91/5 in 25 overs. Fahima bowled another quiet over. Shorna Akter came into the attack next. Capsey welcomed her by going back in the crease and cutting it late. She beat the diving backward point fielder for a boundary.
Meghla returned to the bowling crease and kept it tight as the 100 came up for England in 28 overs. Shorna bowled another tight over. Meghla got Bangladesh the breakthrough as she removed Capsey for 20 off 34 balls with 3 fours to her name. Meghla bowled a good length delivery pitching on the leg stump line turning away from the right-hander. Capsey got on the front foot to work the ball in the leg side with an angled bat. She got beaten on the outside edge and was struck on the back pad. Capsey couldn’t review as the time had run out, but wouldn’t have mattered as three reds showed on ball tracking. Charlie Dean came out to bat next.
She got off the mark soon. Shorna continued as Heather got down on one knee and swept it to fine leg fence for a boundary. Meghla continued as Knight used her feet as she danced down the track and smashed it straight back over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Dean got into the act as well as she slapped Nahida through the gap at covers and cover point for a boundary. Fahima continued and bowled a decent over. Rabeya Khan returned and bowled a decent over. Meghla returned as Knight smashed her down the ground over the bowler’s head for a boundary.
Heather Knight reached her fifty off 86 balls as she held the innings together here. Ritu Moni came into the attack next and she bowled a tight over. Shorna continued and bowled a tidy over. Moni bowled a maiden over as England reached 147/6 in 40 overs. Knight then took the attack to Shorna by sweeping in the air over vacant square leg for a boundary. The 50-run stand came up between Knight and Dean. Fahima bowled another miserly over.
Nahida returned as Knight brought out the reverse sweep over backward point region for a boundary. Fahima Khatun bowled a maiden over and finished her excellent spell. Rabeya continued as Heather Knight stepped down the track and swung hard to get an inside edge running past the keeper for a fine leg fence. England reached 173/6 in 45 overs. Shorna bowled a decent over as scores were levelled after 46 overs.
Sobhana Mostary came into the attack now. The winning moment came now for England as Dean hit the juicy full toss outside off-stump by stepping down the track and crisply driving it through cover and cover point for a boundary to finish the game. England got out of jail and won by 4 wickets with 23 balls to spare. Knight remained unbeaten on 79 off 111 balls with 8 fours and one six to her name while Dean remained unbeaten on 27 off 56 balls with 2 fours to her name. 9 extras given by the fielding side in the end.
For Bangladesh, Fahima Khatun was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/16 in 10 overs. Marufa Akter bowled well at the top before getting injured as she finished with 2/28 in 5 overs. Sanjda Akter Meghla finished with 1/24 in 7 overs. The rest of the bowlers tried their hearts out but returned wicketless in the end. So, England win by 4 wickets and for her masterful innings, Heather Knight was awarded the Player of the Match Award.
What Lies Ahead
The bandwagon moves to Colombo for tomorrow’s game as Australia takes on Pakistan. Australia won the first game and their previous game was washed out due to rain in Colombo while Pakistan have lost both their games. Australia the 7-time winners will start as favourites and will hope that the rain stays away from this fixture.
Let’s see how this fixture unfolds when these two teams meet in a battle of unequal. Australia are overwhelming favourites for this clash.
Also Read: ICC Women’s ODI WC 2025: Fahima Khatun Flabbergasts England