Bangladesh National Women’s Cricket Team made history on Sunday by beating India by 40 runs (DLS method) as it was the first time in One-Day Internationals that they beat their neighbours.
Batting first, Bangladesh were bowled out for 152 after their innings was interrupted and cut down to 44 overs by rain.
Skipper Nigar Sultana Joty, once again, top-scored for them with 39 runs while India’s Amanjot Kaur, who debuted in ODIs in this match, picked up four wickets.
India’s target was re-adjusted to 154, and they were hit early as Bangladesh pacer Marufa Akter struck early to get rid of Smriti Mandhana in the third over.
Bangladesh found two more wickets before the 10th over as Marufa got rid of Priya Punia before left-arm spinner Nahida Akter struck to get rid of Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.
Young leg-spinner Rabeya Khan then broke the Indian middle-order as she struck twice in quick time to first get Yastika Bhatia and then Jemimah Rodrigues.
From there, though, India showed some grit to find a fightback as Deepti Sharma and Amanjot added 30 runs for the sixth wicket.
However, Marufa was brought back in the attack and she struck immediately get Amanjot caught behind, and in the next ball, she bowled Sneh Rana with a beautiful inswinger.
Rabeya then put the final nail in the Indian coffin as she got Deepti Sharma in the first ball after Marufa’s over with two wickets ended.
Sultana Khatun then got Pooja Vastrakar, and after a brief 11-run partnership between Devika Vaidya and Bareddy Anusha, the latter was run out from a brilliant direct hit by Sultana to ensure that Bangladesh bagged the match and went 1-0 up.
