Bangladesh taste heartbreaking defeat to South Africa

Bangladesh women cricket team tasted a three-wicket defeat to South Africa after fighting neck-to-neck in their fourth game in the ICC Cricket World Cup at Vishakhapatnam, India on Monday.

Two contrasting half-centuries from Sharmin Akhter Supta and Shorna Akter guided Bangladesh to a respectable 232-6 and they made it also winning one for their second victory in the tournament.

But South Africa recovered from 78-5 to seal the deal in 49.3 overs, reaching 235-7.

Chole Tyron hammered a match-winning 62 off 69 with three 4’s and one 6 while Marizanne Kapp made 56.

Together they helped the side claw back into the contest with 85 runs for the sixth wicket.

Nahida Akter who took 2-44 for Bangladesh broke the partnership, dismissing Kapp and gave the side a glimmer of hope again.

But Chloe Tyron calmly edged the side closer before Nadine de Klerk finished the game with 37 not out.

Tyron was trapped run out but that mattered little as de Klerk put on an aggressive batting show to make Bangladesh bowlers disarray. She fittingly raised the victory with a six.

Earlier, Supta laid the foundation with a calculative 77-ball 50 and later Shorna utilised the platform with a whirlwind 35-ball 51 (not out) that eventually helped the side post a challenging target for the Proteas Women’s team.

This was Bangladesh’s highest total in a World Cup game.

Electing to bat first, Bangladesh got a slow but steady start, thanks to openers Fargana Haque Pinky and Rubya Haider Jhilik who added 53 runs but both were departed in quick succession.

Pinky made 30 but was not able to convert her start. The same case was for Jhilik also as she was dismissed for 25, after getting set in the crease nicely.

Supta and captain Nigar Sultana Joty combined for a 77-run partnership for the third wicket before the latter was sent back for 32 runs.

Supta followed the suit of captain Joty, just after reaching her half-century.

Shorna, however, gave the scoreboard a boost by hitting the South African bowlers all corner of the park. She struck three 4’s and as many 6’s to bring up her half century off 35 balls, which is now the fastest by a Bangladeshi female batter.