What we saw was a thoroughly professional performance from Bangladesh as they outplayed Pakistan in all departments of the game to beat the Men In Green with plenty of balls to spare. Bangladesh looked determined to prove a point against rivals Pakistan as that is the only team they have beaten in World Cup. Bangladesh delivered an all-round bowling performance led by Marufa Akter and Shorna Akter to skittle Pakistan out for 129 in 38.3 overs.
In reply, Bangladesh recovered from a shaky start courtesy of Rubya Haider’s half-century and others playing around her as Bangladesh got over the line and collected two important points to start their campaign. Pakistan will be disappointed and won’t know what happened today as the batting as a whole let them down after opting to bat first. Things will get tougher for the Women in Green from here.
All-Round bowling display led by Marufa Akter & Shorna Akter skittles Pakistan for 129 in 38.3 overs
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, Muneeba Ali and Omaima Sohail came out to open for Pakistan while Marufa Akter had ball in hand for Bangladesh. Marufa struck for Bangladesh as she removed Omaima Sohail for a golden duck. It was a nip-backer from the bowler as Sohail playing her first delivery in this tournament had no clue about it. The right-hander got an inswinger on a fullish length around off-stump. The batter went for the drive as the ball went through the gates and clatters the stumps. Sidra Ameen came out to bat next and was cleaned up first ball by Marufa.
Marufa bowled a good length delivery outside off-stump nipping back in sharply off the surface. Sidra looked to drive away from the body but didn’t cover for the inward movement. The ball sneaked through the huge gap between bat and pad. It kissed the inside edge of her bat and went onto crash the off-stump. Marufa had 2 in 2 balls and was on a hat-trick as Rameen Shamim had bat in hand for Pakistan.
Nishita Akter came onto the attack from the other end. She bowled a decent over. Marufa continued as Muneeba safely negotiated the hat-trick ball. Marufa bowled another tight over. Muneeba broke the shackles as she hit Nishita for a boundary by glancing it towards fine leg region. Muneeba hit Nishita again by sweeping it to left of deep square leg for a boundary. Marufa continued and bowled a decent over.
Shamim broke the shackles by paddle sweeping it through fine leg region for a boundary. Shamim was not done yet as she hit another boundary past short fine leg for a boundary. Marufa kept things tight in her opening spell. Nahida Akter came into the attack next. She started her spell with a decent over. Nishi bowled another good over. Nahinda continued as Muneeba survived a close run out call at the bowler’s end as the ball did not hit the bowler’s finger. At the end of the first powerplay, Pakistan were 41/2 in 10 overs.
Fahima Khatun came into the attack after the first powerplay. She bowled a decent first over. Nahida then dismissed Muneeba Ali for 17 off 35 balls with 2 fours to her name. Nahida bowled a full and tossed up delivery wide of off-stump. Muneeba saw the width and had a slash at that away from the body. She got it from the outside half of the bat and it went uppishly towards the point region where Nishita Akter moved to her left and took a sharp catch. Aliya Riaz came out to bat next.
Fahima continued and bowled a decent over. Nahida then got rid of Shamim for 23 off 39 balls with 2 fours to her name. Nahida bowled an off-break fuller length outside the off-stump. The batter took her stride outside the off-stump but played the stroke a little early, The ball hit the blade near the maker’s name and lobbed it back to the bowler where Nahida took it easily off her own bowling. Sidra Nawaz came to the crease next. Drinks was also taken at this stage.
Rabeya Khan came into the attack next. Riaz took her on as she hung back and cut it late past backward point for a boundary as the 50 came up for Pakistan in 14.4 overs. Nawaz was given OUT LBW off Fahima but the batter reviewed it successfully and got the decision in her favour. Nawaz then hit Fahima Khatun for a boundary through point region. Nawaz punished Farhan once again for a boundary through to third man region. Nahida came back as Nawaz played with hard hands and got the outside edge past the slips for a boundary. Fahima continued and kept things tight.
Rabeya Khan returned to the attack as she dismissed Nawaz for 15 off 20 balls with 3 fours to her name. Rabeya bowled a googly full and outside off-stump. This turned into the batter. Nawaz got forward and look to defend but looked like she got an inside edge before the ball struck the front pad. The umpire did not give it OUT. The review was taken and there was no inside edge and ball tracking showed three reds and she had to make way back to the hut. Fatima Sana the captain came out to bat next.
Fahima continued and bowled a miserly over as Pakistan were struggling at 67/5 in 20 overs. Nahida continued and bowled a miserly over. Riaz broke the shackles by hitting Fahima Khatun sweeping her to deep fine leg fence. Sana got into the act and slog swept Khatun over mid-on for a boundary. Rabeya continued and kept things under check. Sana then drove Marufa through the point region for a boundary. Rabeya Khan bowled a maiden over as Pakistan crawled their way to 88/5 in 25 overs at the halfway stage of the innings.
Nishitha came back and kept things under total control. Rabeya too gave nothing away from her end. Nishita then got rid of Aliya Riaz for 13 off 43 balls with 2 fours to her name. The bowler tossed it up full at the stumps, Riaz stepped down the wicket and tried to slog it over long-off fielder for a maximum but didn’t get enough elevation on it. The ball skied up and the long-off fielder Marufa took the catch by running forward. Natalia Pervaiz came to the middle next and got off the mark straightaway.
Rabeya continued and kept things under control. Sana broke the shackles as she hit Fahima for a boundary between midwicket and long-on into the gap for a boundary as the 100 came up for Pakistan in 29.1 overs. Fahima hit back getting rid of Sana for 22 off 33 balls with 3 fours to her name. Fahima tossed it up full on the stumps. Sana went on the front foot and tried to defend it but she plays it outside the line of the ball. The ball hit her front pad and the umpire gave it OUT. Sana reviewed it straightaway and after long look gave it OUT as Pakistan lost a review as well. Diana Baig came out to bat next.
There was a no ball bowled by the bowler, but the free hit did not damage Bangladesh. After 30 overs, Bangladesh were 103/7. Pervaiz cut it away past the point fielder for a boundary. Baig then hit Marufa for a boundary past the bowler and mid-off fielder. Shorna Akter came into the attack next. She struck immediately getting rid of Pervaiz for 9 off 14 balls with a boundary to her name.
Shorna bowled a length ball wide of off-stump. Parvaiz rocked back and looked to cut it but managed to get a faint outside edge and was taken well by Nigar Sultana and the umpire gave it OUT. Nashra Sandhu came out to bat next. Nahida continued and bowled a decent over. Shorna got another wicket as she dismissed Nashra Sandhu for 1 off 7 balls via a hit wicket as the batter hit the stumps with bat in hand. Sadia Iqbal came out to bat next at 11.
Rabeya continued and bowled another miserly over. Shorna bowled another maiden over. Marufa bowled a decent over with runs coming ones and twos. Diana Baig swept Shorna for a boundary to vacant midwicket region. But Shorna wrapped up the innings for Bangladesh dismissing Sadia Iqbal for 4 off 17 balls. She bowled a full and wide outside off-stump. Iqbal got down on one knee and looked to clear the fielder at mid-on and didn’t get the timing right and it went straight up in the air. Farzana backtracked at mid-on to take the catch. Diana Baig remained unbeaten on 16 off 22 balls with 2 boundaries to her name as Pakistan were bowled out for 129 in 38.3 overs with 9 extras given by the fielding side.
Shorna Akter was the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh with figures of 3/5 in 3.3 overs. Marufa Akter started it all with her figures of 2/31 in 7 overs. Nahida Akter chipped in with 2/19 in 8 overs. Nishita Akter Nishi picked up 1/28 in 6 overs. Fahima Khatun chipped in with 1/32 in 7 overs. Rabeya Khan chipped in with 1/13 in 7 overs. This meant Bangladesh needed 130 to win off 50 overs to get another win over Pakistan in World Cup 2025.
Rubya Haider’s unbeaten half-century guides Bangladesh to an easy 7-wicket win
Chasing 130 for the win, Fargana Hoque and Rubya Haider came out to bat for Bangladesh while Fatima Sana had ball in hand for Pakistan. Fatima started with a decent first over. Diana Baig took the ball from the other end. She too kept things under check. Sana continued as Haider was hit on the thumb, but after treatment she continued batting. Fatima was holding things together. Diana got the breakthrough removing Hoque for 2 off 17 balls.
She bowled too full at middle and off-stump with the ball nipping back in, Hoque pressed forward and tried to clip it away but missed it. It hit her on the front pad. The umpire gave it NOT OUT. Pakistan reviewed and replays showed Three Reds and the decision had to be reversed to OUT. Sharmin Akter came out to bat next. Haider broke the shackles as she glanced Fatima to the fine leg fence. Diana Baig continued and bowled a miserly over.
Fatima continued as Sharmin hit her straight as an arrow back past the bowler for a boundary down the ground. Diana Baig bowled a maiden over. Sadia Iqbal came into the attack next. She too kept things under check. Baig bowled another maiden over as Bangladesh after 10 overs of powerplay crawled their way to 23/1 chasing 130 for the win.
Sadia continued as Haider broke the shackles by rocking back on the back foot and cutting it to deep point for a boundary. Rameen Shamim came into the attack next. Shamim gifted 5 wides to the batting side. But she hit back by getting rid of Sharmin for 10 off 30 balls. Shamim bowled a length ball just outside off-stump drifting in to beat the batter on the inside edge. Sharmin went back and looked to work it on the leg side and expected the ball to turn a lot more than it did. She missed and got struck right in front of the stumps. The appeal and the finger was raised. Bangladesh decided not to review. Captain Nigar Sultana came out to bat next as players took Drinks after 12 overs.
Sadia continued and bowled a miserly over. Shamim too kept things under check. Sultana finally broke the shackles by coming down the track and lofting it over mid-on for a boundary. Shamim then gave away 4 byes to the batting side as a gift. Sultana was on the move as she paddle swept it to fine leg region for a boundary and then hit the reverse sweep past short third man for a boundary.
Nashra Sandhu came into the attack next. She started her spell with a maiden over. Haider then joined the fun as she hit Shamim flicking her over mid-on for a boundary. Haider then slogged Sandhu away over midwicket region for a boundary. She again hit Sandhu for a boundary by slicing it past backward point region. Haider then used her feet and lofted the ball over mid-off for a boundary.
Diana returned to the attack as Haider took her on as well by coming down the track and lofting it over wide mid-on for a boundary. Bangladesh reached 81/2 in 20 overs. Sultana took the attack to her opposite number Sana and flicked it to deep fine leg for a boundary. Baig continued and bowled a decent over. Sana continued and wasted a review on Haider on caught behind as there was no edge whatsoever. Then they burnt another review against Sultana off Baig for LBW but the ball went down the leg side.
Sultana came down the wicket and hit it over mid-on for a boundary. Sana continued and got rid of her opposite number Nigar Sultana for 23 off 44 balls with 5 fours to her name. Fatime bowled a back of a length outside off-stump, Nigar tried to pull it from outside off-stump and got it off the bottom of her bat as Diana at short midwicket took a sharp low catch. Sobhana Mostary came out to bat next. After 25 overs at the halfway stage of the chase, Bangladesh were 97/3 and cruising towards the win.
Haider hit Shamim and cuts it away past the point fielder for a boundary. Haider reached her maiden fifty on debut off 64 balls as the 100 came up for Bangladesh in 26 overs. Fatima Sana bowled another maiden over. Omaima Sohail came into the attack now. Mostary took the attack to Sohail for a boundary past the point fielder twice in a row for consecutive boundaries. Drinks came on the field with Bangladesh on 110/3 in 28 overs.
Sadia Iqbal continued and bowled a tidy over. Mostary took the attack to Sanhdu by hitting her for two boundaries in 3 balls through cover and point and through the cover area as well. Mostary hit Sadia Iqbal for a boundary by punching it through the covers for a boundary. Mostary hit the winning runs off Sandhu by cutting off the back foot to deep point region for a boundary to spark off celebrations. Haider remained unbeaten on 54 off 77 balls with 8 boundaries to her name while Sobhana Mostary remained unbeaten on 24 off 19 balls with 6 fours to her name. 18 extras given by the fielding side. Bangladesh won by 7 wickets with 18.5 overs to spare.
Fatima Sana picked up a wicket for her 1/30 in 8 overs. Diana Baig finished with 1/14 in 8 overs. Rameen Shamim finished with 1/25 in 5 overs. Sadia Iqbal gave away 21 runs in 6 overs. Nashra Sandhu gave 27 in 3.1 overs. Omaima Sohail finished with an over for 9 runs. This is Bangladesh’s second win in World Cup history and both came against Pakistan as they won this fixture by 7 wickets. For her excellent bowling at the start, Marufa Akter was awarded Player of the Match.
What Lies Ahead
The bandwagon shifts from Colombo back to India and in Guwahati where England the 4-time champions and last tournament’s runner-up will square off against South Africa on 3rd October at 3 PM IST. It is a heavyweight clash and can go either ways. We shall see how things go.
Will England begin with a win or will South Africa pull off a major win in Guwahati. Find out all the answers tomorrow.
Also Read: ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025: Underdogs Bangladesh And Pakistan Face-Off In Colombo.