Bangladesh 125-6 (Nigar Sultana 31*, PA Chatterji 2 for 17) beat Scotland 76-7 (SJ Bryce 31, Rumana Ahmed 2 for 10) by 49 runs
Bangladesh will join Ireland in the final stages of the Women’s World T20 after claiming victory over Scotland in the second semi-final of the ICC Global Qualifier. Despite Scotland pushing their Full Member opponents hard, the ninth-ranked side in the world game continued their excellent tournament with the ball to close out a 49-run win at the VRA Cricket Ground in Amstelveen.
Bangladesh’s bowlers had dominated the group stage of the competition and after winning the toss it was no surprise when Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce looked to exploit any potential rustiness in their batting by choosing to field first. The Bangladeshi opening pair of Shamina Sultana and Ayasha Rahman began confidently, however, manoeuvring the ball around the field for ones and twos before Shamina swept to the rope to take the score on to 20 without loss at the end of the third over.
The dangerous Shamina added back-to-back fours in the sixth as Bangladesh threatened to pull away, but with the score on 51 the opener’s wicket, run out for 22 after Laura Grant’s throw from the boundary capitalised on a mix-up between the batsmen, brought Scotland emphatically into the game. Rahman (20) quickly followed to a good low catch by Sarah Bryce off Priyanaz Chatterji, and with Fargana Hoque (1) stumped and Rumana Ahmed (1) caught behind, too, the pre-tournament favourites had suddenly lost 4 for 11 in the space of 21 deliveries.
With their middle order exposed Bangladesh had entered uncharted territory in the competition and their discomfort was compounded in the fifteenth when Fahima Khatun (15) was brilliantly stumped by Sarah Bryce off the bowling of her sister to leave the batting side in further trouble at 89 for 5.
Nigar Sultana (31*) and Sanjida Islam (19) calmed Bangladeshi nerves, however, as they steered their side past the hundred mark and on towards their final total of 125 for 6. It represented a good recovery after what had been a nip-and-tuck first innings, but after their excellent performance in the field Scotland went into the break knowing that their hopes of reaching the West Indies were still very much alive, too.
Bangladesh had repeatedly proved themselves to be the best bowling side in the competition, however, and the off-spin of Salma Khatun brought an early breakthrough as Rachel Scholes (4) was caught behind off a straightening ball to leave Scotland 8 for 1 after four. Sarah Bryce, joined by her sister Kathryn, found her range with a drive through mid-on for the first boundary of the innings in the sixth, but after she fell for 31, stumped off leg-spinner Fahima Khatun looking for a repeat of another terrific drive for four, Bangladesh were both swift and ruthless in pressing home their advantage.
Becky Glen (5) was trapped in front as she attempted to sweep Rumana Ahmed before a mix-up in the same over saw Lorna Jack (1) short of her ground. With the score on 65 for 4 in the fourteenth Scotland then lost three to successive deliveries as Kathryn Bryce (21), Katie McGill (0) and Priyanaz Chatterji (1) departed, leaving Scotland to play out the final overs knowing that the target had moved out of sight.
It had been a valiant effort from the young Scots team and now, after recording victories over two dangerous opponents in the group stages, they will go into Saturday’s third-place play-off against PNG looking to confirm their best-ever finish at a Global Qualifier. Scotland may have fallen short today, but there is still much to play for.
