A 93-run stand between Fargana Hoque and Rumana Ahmed powered Bangladesh to a thrilling seven-wicket win against India in their Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup clash in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday 6 June.
India posted 141/7 after opting to bat, with Harmanpreet Kaur scoring a 37-ball 42 to propel the innings. However, Bangladesh recovered from 49/3 and reached 142/3 to complete the chase with two balls remaining.
It was Bangladesh’s second consecutive victory. They had seen off Pakistan by seven wickets on Monday, having lost their opener to Sri Lanka. For India, the loss was their first in the tournament, coming after comfortable victories Malaysia and Thailand.
ECSTATIC!@BCBtigers players celebrate their special victory against defending champions India!#INDvsBAN #WAC2018 pic.twitter.com/MA13U1obu2
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) June 6, 2018
India were reduced to 26/2 after Smriti Mandhana (11) and Mithali Raj (2) were sent back early, but Pooja Vastrakar and Kaur revived the innings with a 44-run stand.
Kaur went on to add 50 with Deepti Sharma, after Vastrakar was run out for a run-a-ball 20, but fell eight short of a half-century when Ahmed, the leg-spinner, dismissed her.
Ahmed followed it up with the wickets of Sharma (32) and Anuja Patil (1) and was also involved in running out Jhulan Goswami (4) as India were kept to 141. Ahmed ended with fine figures of 3/21.
A brilliant 93-run stand between Fargana Hoque Pinky (52*) and Rumana Ahmed (42*) sees @BCBtigers through against India! #INDvsBAN #WAC2018 pic.twitter.com/MS3GPX85rt
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) June 6, 2018
A brilliant 93-run stand between Fargana Hoque Pinky (52*) and Rumana Ahmed (42*) sees @BCBtigers through against India! #INDvsBAN #WAC2018
The Bangladesh openers got their chase off to a solid start, putting on 29 before Ayasha Rahman (12) was seen off by Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Shamima Sultaana carried on to score a 23-ball 33, but when she and Nigar Sultana were dismissed in quick succession, Bangladesh were 49/3 in the eighth over.
However, Hoque and Ahmed then got together to see the chase through. Hoque’s 46-ball 52* was laced with five fours and six, while Ahmed’s 36-ball 42* comprised six fours.
Bangladesh will next play Thailand on Thursday, before India’s clash against Sri Lanka.
