Home Cricket News Nahida, Fargana and Murshida set up Bangladesh's comfortable series win over Pakistan

Nahida, Fargana and Murshida set up Bangladesh's comfortable series win over Pakistan

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Nahida, Fargana and Murshida set up Bangladesh's comfortable series win over Pakistan


Bangladesh 167 for 3 (Hoque 62, Murshida 54, Sandhu 2-27) won Pakistan 166 for 9 (Ameen 84*, Nahida 3-26) for seven wickets

TO record opening partnership for Bangladesh in women’s ODI she achieved her series victory in the last game of the tour against Pakistan. The right-left combination of Fargana Hoque and Murshida Khatun added 125 for the first wicket, putting Bangladesh on course for their 167-run chase at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

It took an unbeaten 84 from opener Sidra Ameen for Pakistan to reach 166 for 9 in their 50 overs. On a slow surface, Bangladesh employed just six overs of fast bowling from Marufa Akter, operating with spin for the rest of the overs to pin Pakistan down.

Ameen hit only three fours in his knock and finished with a strike rate of 58.74. He added 65 for the opening wicket with Sadaf Shamas (31 off 61 balls), but Pakistan failed to form partnerships in the middle order. While the opening part required 116 balls for their stand, the second wicket stand between Ameen and Muneeba Ali was worth 28 off 70 balls.

At 93-1, Pakistan could never find the momentum and finished with a low total. All the middle-order batsmen were bowled out for single digits and only Diana Baig, batting at number 9 and scoring 11 for 9, scored at a strike rate of over 100. Nahida Akter, once again, was the tormentor in boss. her finishing with 3 for 26 in ten overs.

Bangladesh’s response was slow but firm. Both Hoque and Murshida had strike rates in the fifties, but they never let Pakistan into the game. Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu then struck twice in two overs to nullify the openers. But Captain Nigar Sultana once again radiated calm and ended the chase in the company of Sobhana Mostary.

It was Bangladesh’s third win in the ODI series over Pakistan, but the first time in a three-match bilateral series. Pakistan had won the opening contest before Bangladesh came back with a Super Over victory in the second ODI.