Bangladesh Women registered their first victory in the ICC Emerging Nations Trophy with a dominant nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in their second group-stage match in Ajman, United Arab Emirates. The victory marks a strong turnaround for skipper Nahida Akter’s side after their disappointing tournament opener against Pakistan.
After being asked to bat first, Zimbabwe Women posted 131 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano top-scored for her side with 40 runs, while captain Josephine Nkomo contributed a 29-ball 35 and Kelis Ndhlovu added 22 off 26 balls. For Bangladesh, Rabeya Khan led the bowling attack, taking 3 wickets for 26 runs in her 4-over spell, while Disha Biswas claimed 2 wickets to restrict the opposition.
Chasing a target of 132, Bangladesh’s openers laid a solid foundation. Shathi Rani scored 45 off 43 balls, hitting six boundaries, before departing with the team score at 104. Dilara Akter anchored the chase, remaining unbeaten on 68 off 49 balls featuring eight boundaries. Dilara’s steady half-century guided Bangladesh to victory with 15 balls to spare, supported by Sharmin Akter, who remained not out on 6.
