It’s bound to happen. Murshida Khatun and skipper Nigar Sultan ensured Bengladesh’s spot in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 semi-finals. They defeated Malaysia by 114 runs in what proved to be a clear mismatch. Bangladesh batted first, scoring 191 for 2. It was their second-highest total in T20Is. Murshida Khatun hit a career-best 80 off 59 balls, while skipper Nigar made an undefeated 62 off 37.
In response, Malaysia managed only 77 for 8. They did not win the campaign, but one hopes they gained valuable experience. To remain competitive at this level, they must improve in all three areas: batting, bowling, and fielding. Malaysian captain Winifred Duraisingam opened the bowling with a wide ball. Means a bad day for Malaysia.
Murshida Khatun Increases Her Pace
Despite this, Bangladesh only managed to score 25 runs in the first four overs. Aina Najwa dropped Murshida Khatun on the opening ball of the fifth, with the batter on 13 out of 15 balls. To add insult to injury, Dilara hit the last three balls of the over for six, four, and four.
Murshida Khatun answered with a boundary off Ainna Hamizah Hashim‘s next over. And Bangladesh finished the powerplay on 51 for no loss. The 65-run opening stand, which lasted 7.4 overs. It came to an end when Dilara hit Mahirah Izzati Ismail to square leg, where Aisya Eleesa dived forward to take an outstanding catch. No doubt, it was a rare display of excellence by a Malaysia fielder.
Dilara scored 33 from just 20 balls. Murshida Khatun was on 28 from 26 balls at the time. But once Dilara fell, she ramped up her pace. With back-to-back boundaries from Ismail. She reached 53 off 45 balls, her second half-century in as many games. Bangladesh passed 150 with a slog-swept six from Elsa Hunter in the 17th over. Murshida and Nigar combined 89 runs off 56 balls for the second wicket before Murshida Khatun was caught by substitute Dhanusri Muhunan at extra cover.
Nigar Sultan’s Quick Fifty
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Muhunan’s effort was out of the ordinary. Following that, Malaysia dropped two more catches: Najwa dismissed Rumana Ahmed at square leg in the final over. And Nur Aishah dismissed Nigar at deep midwicket in the twentieth. Along with Murshida Khatun, Nigar quickly reached her fifty off 34 balls and finished the innings with a six off the penultimate ball. It was no surprise that Malaysia fell far short of their goal.
In the absence of the rested Marufa Akter, Jahanara Alam took the new ball for Bangladesh and struck it straight away. With her second delivery, she had Hashim sneaking behind Dilara for a straightforward catch. Hunter, 19, appeared to be the only Malaysian batsman capable of handling Bangladesh’s bowling. Hunter, who is as technically sound as anyone in the game of cricket, struck four boundaries in her 20 off 23 balls. However, she fell in the sixth over, conceding a return catch to left-arm spinner Nahida Akter while attempting to push the ball down the leg side.
Previously, Hunter was the top bowler on her squad. She got 1 for 27 from four overs with her off-spin. Malaysia did not lose another wicket until the 11th over. But their scoring rate stayed around four. It dropped even further in the second half of the innings. Aside from Hunter, Ismail was the only player to reach double digits, with 15 out of 25 balls.
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