New Zealand humiliate Bangladesh in 1st WT20I

Bangladesh women’s team suffered their worst ever defeat in Twenty20 internationals in terms of runs, when they lost the first T20I against New Zealand by 132 runs at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday.

All 11 batters of the Bangladesh women’s team failed to get into double figures, as they were bundled out for just 32 in 14.5 overs, their second worst total in women’s T20Is.

Medium pacers Lea Tahuhu and Hayley Jensen wreaked havoc in the Bangladesh batting line-up, claiming four and three wickets respectively to make sure Bangladesh would fall embarrassingly short of the target.

Earlier, White Ferns skipper Sophie Devine made 45 off 34 balls, opener Suzie Bates scored 41 off 33 and Maddy Green hit an unbeaten 36 off 23 to power New Zealand to 164-3 in their 20 overs.

Jahanara Alam, Nahida Akter and Ritu Moni took one wicket each for Bangladesh.

Batting first, the opening partnership of Devine and Bates yielded 84 runs off 64 balls for the hosts.

Nahida broke the stand by dismissing Bates and Devine also followed her opening partner to the dressingroom the very next over off Jahanara.

Green and Tahuhu (13 off nine balls) then added 30 off 19 for the fourth wicket to take their total beyond 160.

The target already seemed out of reach for the visitors, who have never successfully chased more than 142 runs in a T20I, but hopes were that Nigar Sultana’s team would at least put up a fight.

However, those hopes were completely dashed by the hosts, who decimated Bangladesh batters and once again exposed their weakness in overseas conditions.

No one in the Bangladesh batting line-up had any clue about how to score runs against a decent attack on a bouncy pitch.

Ritu Moni was the joint highest scorer for Bangladesh in the match with just six runs. She was equaled by the extras column.

The second match of the T20I series will take place on 4 December in Dunedin and the third and final T20I will be played in Queenstown on 7 December.

The T20I series will be followed by a three-match women’s One-Day International (ODI) series.

This is the Bangladesh women’s team’s first ever bi-lateral series in New Zealand.