Bangladesh women couldn’t secure a series whitewash over Ireland women despite starting the series in dominant fashion. Ireland claimed the dead rubber in Dublin by 6 wickets.

Being sent to bat first, Bangladesh got off to a flier in the powerplay without losing any wicket. The openers shared a 47-run partnership, which came to an end in the 7^th over after Ciara Metcalfe made the breakthrough for the hosts. She dismissed Sahmima Sultana for 30 runs.

The next batsman to leave the crease was another opener Ayasha Rahman, who was run out for 27 runs. While Nigar Sultana (8) and Sanjida Islam (9) fell cheaply, Fargana Haque kept scoring runs at the other end but the team couldn’t squeeze on in the middle overs. Fargana picked up a fifty and remained not out on 66 runs.

Bangladesh registered a total of 151 for 4 and the onus now was on the bowlers to steer the newly crowned Asian champions to their eighth successive victory, which couldn’t happen because of a record-breaking partnership from the Irish camp.

Ireland were two down in the first seven overs, scoring only 30 runs, 21 of which came from Clare Shillington’s bat. Panna Ghosh and Nahida Akhter sent the Irish openers back to the hut. However, Gaby Lewis stitched Ireland women’s highest 3^rd-wicket partnership with the skipper Laura Delany to salvage the pride of the hosting nation.

Lewis belted a half century and was run out, which put an end to the 93-run stand, before Delany too got run out on 46. However, Isobel Joyce didn’t let these two batters’ contribution fade away and made 22 off 14 to seal a last ball thriller for Ireland.

Jahanara Alam, who took a fifer in the first T20I, was targeted by the Irish batters in this game and was hit for 39 runs in 4 overs while remaining wicketless.

Bangladesh won the thre-match series 2-1. They will now travel to the Netherlands for the Women’s World T20 qualifier, scheduled to start on July 7.

 

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