Manchester, June 25 (IANS) Captain Nigar Sultana and opener Juairiya Ferdous played composed knocks of 33 and 32 runs as Bangladesh posted 136/8 in 20 overs against a brilliant bowling effort of the Indian team, led by Radha Yadav, who took three wickets in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground on Thursday.

After electing to bat first, Bangladesh endured a cautious start against a probing Indian attack. Shafali Verma set the tone with a tight opening over that yielded just three runs, while Renuka Singh Thakur, returning to the playing XI, struck early to provide India with the breakthrough.

Dilara Akter never looked settled and was dismissed for four in the second over when Renuka extracted extra bounce and forced an error, leaving Bangladesh at an early disadvantage.

Despite the setback, Juairiya Ferdous continued her impressive run of form. The opener counterattacked with a series of crisp boundaries, collecting two fours in the fourth over before adding another in the next. At the other end, Sobhana Mostary gradually found her rhythm and eased some pressure with a boundary off Shree Charani.

The pair helped Bangladesh recover steadily, with Ferdous particularly fluent through the off-side. Bangladesh reached 40/1 at the end of the Power-play, although India’s fielding once again came under scrutiny as several catching opportunities went begging. Ferdous benefited from multiple reprieves during her stay, allowing Bangladesh to build momentum.

With the Indian fielders unable to convert chances, Ferdous and Mostary stitched together a valuable 51-run partnership for the second wicket. The stand finally ended in the ninth over when Nandini Sharma produced a sharp return catch to dismiss Ferdous for a well-made 33 off 30 deliveries, an innings decorated with five boundaries.

Mostary and skipper Nigar Sultana then attempted to consolidate. While Mostary struggled to accelerate, Nigar looked increasingly assured at the crease and rotated the strike effectively. Mostary's resistance came to an end in the 13th over when she miscued a slower delivery from Radha Yadav and was safely caught by Deepti Sharma. Her 22-run knock consumed 26 balls and included two fours.

Nigar, however, ensured Bangladesh maintained forward momentum. The captain took the attack to Nandini Sharma in the 14th over, striking four boundaries and collecting 17 runs from the over. Her aggressive approach briefly shifted the momentum in Bangladesh’s favour and raised hopes of a strong finish.

Just as Bangladesh appeared poised for a late surge, India struck a crucial blow. Nigar was stumped off the very first ball of the 17th over after advancing down the track and completely missing her attempted shot. Her enterprising innings of 32 came off 24 deliveries and featured four boundaries.

The dismissal halted Bangladesh’s progress. The middle order failed to capitalise during the closing stages, with Sharmin Akhter unable to accelerate and Ritu Moni's brief cameo ending after a quick eight runs.

India tightened the screws brilliantly in the death overs, with Radha and Charani sharing key breakthroughs. Charani capped off an impressive spell by claiming two wickets in the final over, ensuring Bangladesh were unable to finish strongly. The young spinner also entered the record books, becoming the first Indian woman to claim 12 wickets in a single edition of the Women's T20 World Cup.

Bangladesh eventually finished on 136/8 from their 20 overs, a total that appeared competitive but perhaps below par considering the opportunities they were handed through India's dropped catches.

Radha Yadav emerged as India's standout bowler with figures of 3/28, while Shree Charani picked up two wickets and continued her remarkable tournament. Renuka Singh Thakur and Nandini Sharma chipped in with a wicket apiece as India produced a disciplined all-round bowling display to keep Bangladesh's batting line-up in check.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 136/8 in 20 overs (Juairiya Ferdous 33, Nigar Sultana 32; Radha Yadav 3-28, Shree Charani 2-21) against India.

--IANS

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