Bangladesh Women’s cricket team made a flying start to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers on Sunday, defeating Pakistan by three wickets and with two balls remaining, in a key fixture in Group B at the Old Hararians ground in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Asked to bat first by Tigress captain Nigar Sultana, Pakistan scored a moderate total of 201 for 7 in their stipulated 50 overs.

Bangladeshi women overtook that making 202 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 49. 4 overs, riding on invaluable contributions from player of the match Rumana Ahmed and Fargana Hoque.

Rumana, batting at number 5, provided the acceleration and also saw the chase home, remaining not out on a coolly made 50 off 44 balls with six hits to the boundary.

Earlier the experienced number 3 Fargana Hoque scored a patient 45 (90 balls, 2 fours) to hold the innings steady.

Besides, Ritu Mini (22), Sharmin Akhter (31) and Salma Khatun (18 not out) all chipped in with vital contributions in what was a true team effort by the Tigresses.

Former captain Salma joined Rumana at the crease with Bangladesh needing 42 runs off 4.3 overs – nearly 10 runs an over.

But they stepped on the gas and saw their team through in what was potentially their toughest fixture of the first of two group phases that the qualifying competition is split into.

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The key over came in the 48th, bowled by Omaima Sohail, who had rocked the Bangladesh chase in just her previous over, the 46th, by picking up two wickets and conceding just two runs.  

Now with 35 needed off three overs, Rumana and Sultana caned her for 18 runs off the 48th over, Sultana hitting her for a boundary off the first ball and then getting off strike, followed by Rumana hitting three consecutive fours to bring the equation down dramatically.

With 17 now needed off 2 overs, the Tigresses had another big over in the 49th, taking 12 off Diana Baig. Salma, the number 9, helped herself to a second boundary as she finished on 18 not out off 13 balls.

She and Rumana then proceeded to coolly collect the 5 runs needed in the last over off four deliveries bowled by Fatima Sana, doing it in ones and twos. The finish came in a manner their more illustrious male counterparts could pick up some pointers from.

Earlier, Pakistan recovered well from losing their first five wickets for just 49 runs in 17.5 overs, relying on a tremendous partnership between Nida Dar and Aliya Riaz that contributed 137 runs for the 6th wicket.

Number six Nida Rashid Dar hammered 87 runs off 111 balls featuring eight fours and two sixes while number seven batter Aliya Riaz contributed 61 runs off 82 deliveries hitting four boundaries and two over boundaries.

Besides, opener Muneeba Ali (22) and captain Jeveria Khan (12) were the other Pakistani batter reaching the double figure.

For Bangladesh, Nahida Akter and Ritu Moni grabbed two wickets each conceding 25 and 36 runs respectively. Rumana’s all-round contribution started in the Pakistan innings, bowling 8 overs to finish with 1/40.

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The Tigresses’ remaining fixtures in the first group phase fall against the USA, Thailand and Zimbabwe, on the 23rd, 25th and 29th respectively of this month, all in Harare.

Three teams from each group qualify for a Super Six phase, and the top 3 there qualify for the finals.

Earlier during preparation for the qualifying competition, Bangladesh whitewashed hosts Zimbabwe 3-0 in a three-match ODI series played in Bulawayo.

Three teams from the 9-team qualifying competition will earn the right to play in the eight-team finals to be held in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3, next year. Besides the hosts, four other teams already guaranteed participation are defending champions Australia, England, South Africa and India.