England survived a massive scare as they limped to a win against Bangladesh in the Women’s World Cup on Tuesday. Bowled out for 178, the Women in Green made a match out of it with some disciplined bowling. Fahima Khatun led the pack as Bangladesh announced they were no pushovers in the World Cup.
Resilience and spirit: Bangladesh Women shine at Women’s World Cup 2025
It was always going to be a tough tournament for Bangladesh. However, Nigar Sultana’s side are taking it in their stride, putting up an enormous effort in their two matches so far. Bangladesh began their tournament with a convincing win over Pakistan. If that win was a start, their effort against England showcased the potential of this squad.
Batting first, Bangladesh slipped to 178 all out. Barring Sobhana Mostary, none of their batters could convert their starts on a sluggish track. The result seemed a foregone conclusion against an England side that had bowled South Africa out for 69. It should have been a cakewalk.
But Bangladesh did not give up. Marufa Akter set the tone with a swing bowling masterclass in the powerplay. The 20-year-old had both Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones trapped in front. And while Akter did the opening burst, Fahima Khatun held her own in the middle overs. The leg spinner had England in a pickle with vicious turn. At 78/5, things looked tricky for England in what should have been a rather straightforward chase.
They did eventually get over the line. Heather Knight played a sensational knock of 79 to guide her side to victory with just over 3 overs to spare. Khatun was monumental, picking up 3/16 in her 10 overs. Bangladesh may have been on the wrong side of the result in Guwahati, but they showed a lot of heart.
Nigar Sultana and Co will now look to add a ‘little extra’ to their effort. She lamented the lack of runs, and some poor bowling having forced a collapse. Had Bangladesh scored 200, it could have been a very different result.
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