Bangladesh girls qualify for T20 World Cup

The Bangladesh women’s cricket team have qualified for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup by beating Ireland by four wickets in the semifinal of the World T20 Qualifiers in Dundee, Scotland, reports UNB.

The two finalists of the eight-team league-cum-knockout basis tournament will earn the right to play in the final round of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia.

The Bangladesh girls will play the final of the T20 World Cup Qualifiers on Saturday (7 Aug) at the same venue against the winners of the second semifinal between Group B champion Thailand and runners-up of Group A Papua New Guinea scheduled for Thursday (5 Aug) evening.

Earlier, Bangladesh played the final round of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup thrice -- in 2014 in Bangladesh, 2016 in India and in 2018 in the West Indies.

The Irish women batted first after winning the toss and were bundled out for 85 runs in 20 overs with only three batters -- captain Laura Delany (25), all-rounder Eimear Richardson (25) and Orla Prendergas (10) -- reaching the double figures.

Leg-spinner Fahima Khatun picked up three Irish wickets conceding 18 runs while Jahanara Alam, captain Salma Khatun, Nahida Akter and Ritu Moni bagged one wicket each conceding 21, 10, 17 and 19 runs respectively for the Bangladesh team.

In reply, Bangladesh team reached their target losing six wickets in 18.3 overs featuring 38 runs in the 5th wicket stand by Sanjida Islam and Ritu Moni.

Two down Sanjida Islam contributed an unbeaten 32 runs off 37 balls hitting three boundaries and was adjudged the player of the match, number six Ritu Moni scored 27-ball 15 runs featuring two fours while opener Mursheda Khatun made 15-ball 13 runs with a boundary.

S MacMahon, O Prendergast and KJ Garth took one wicket each conceding 9, 11 and 13 runs respectively.

Earlier, Bangladesh women’s team emerged Group A champions to reach the semifinals in the eight-team fray with all-win record securing full six points from straight three matches.

Bangladesh, placed in Group A along with Papua New Guinea, the USA and hosts Scotland, beat the USA by eight wickets in the first match, earned 2nd successive victory defeating Papua New Guinea (PNG) by 6 runs under the D/L method and eliminated hosts Scotland by 13 runs by dint of the D/L method in the last match.