Australia thump Bangladesh to seal semi-final spot

Womens cricket
Australia thump Bangladesh to seal semi-final spot
Alyssa Healy plays a shot
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Online Desk
· 3 min read
|| ICC ||Australia booked their place in the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup with a commanding 10-wicket win over Bangladesh on Thursday.

Chasing 199, Alyssa Healy and Phoebe Litchfield made the task look easy, reaching the target in under 25 overs.

The victory took Australia to the top of the World Cup table with nine points from five matches while defending champions Bangladesh remained sixth with two points from five.

The opening pair gave Australia a rapid start and built a solid 100-run partnership that Bangladesh could not break.

Healy was outstanding, scoring 113 off 77 balls, her second century of the tournament, while hitting 20 boundaries. Litchfield (84) provided strong support at the other end, finishing with an innings that included 12 fours and a six.

In the first innings, Sobhana Mostary played a valiant knock to guide Bangladesh to 198/9 in their ICC Women's Cricket World Cup clash against Australia.

The batter remained unbeaten on 66 off 80 balls, striking nine boundaries and adding valuable runs in the death overs with 28 coming in the final three overs to push her side close to the 200-mark.

Rubya Haider (44) also chipped in with a crucial knock after the openers had provided a steady start but Nigar Sultana Joty’s side struggled to build momentum against Australia’s spin attack.

Alana King (2/18) and Georgia Wareham (2/22) were effective with the ball and picked up two wickets apiece while Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland also claimed two each though they proved a touch expensive.

Megan Schutt added a wicket to her name as Australia kept Bangladesh in check despite Mostary’s resistance.

Schutt gave Australia the first breakthrough, removing Farzana Haque after the openers had given Bangladesh a steady start.

Gardner then struck twice in quick succession to leave Bangladesh three down, also claiming the important wicket of Haider, who had put on a 41-run stand with Sharmin Akter for the second wicket. Gardner also dismissed Akter soon after.

Alana King joined in as Australia’s bowlers continued to tighten their grip. Nigar Sultana Joty was stumped while trying to hit King down the ground before Beth Mooney took a sharp catch at point to dismiss Shorna Akter off King’s bowling.

Sutherland and Wareham maintained the pressure, cleaning up the middle and lower order by sharing the final four wickets between them.

However, Mostary carried on with her fine innings and brought up her fifty, receiving steady support from Fariha Trisna at the other end as Bangladesh reached a competitive total, having been 165/9 at the end of 46 overs. This was the first time Australia failed to bowl out an opponent in the ongoing tournament.

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