by Linsey Smith starred with the ball as England kicked off their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign with a 21-run win over Bangladesh.
Smith made figures of two for 11 from his four overs and played an important role in Nigar Sultana Joty’s dangerous outing as Heather Knight’s side restricted the Bangladeshis to 97 for seven in the Group B showdown under the lights of Sharjah.
She and Charlie Dean each took two wickets to help successfully defend a target of 119 after Danni Wyatt-Hodge scored 41 in a modest total of 118 for seven on a tricky pitch.
England won the toss and elected to bat, and opener Maia Bouchier was given a reprieve when she was dropped by Rabeya Khan at point off the bowling of Marufa Akter on 16.
Rabeya redeemed herself when she had Bouchier caught by Nahida Akter at mid-off for an 18-ball 23 in the seventh over with 48 on the board.
Nat Sciver-Brunt quickly followed Fahima Khatun for two overs and, while the Bangladesh bowlers held England back after a return of 47 without loss in the powerplay, Knight was bowled by Ritu Moni for six to leave his team in Thu 73 for three after 11.2 overs.
Wyatt-Hodge followed with just three more runs added when she was stumped by Joty off Nahida’s bowling for a 41 that included five boundaries, and Alice Capsey was caught sweeping backwards on nine to leave her team 90 for five with 25. balls remaining.
Marufa returned the favor by dropping Amy Jones in Rabeya’s deep, but Dani Gibson and Charlie Dean both fell cheaply as England were restricted to 118 despite Sophie Ecclestone’s two-ball, eight-run cameo with Fahima’s two for 18 choice bowling contributions.
Dean trapped Dilara Akter in front for six runs in his first over and when compatriot Shathi Rani pushed Smith to Ecclestone in the fifth over, the Bangladeshis were 17 for two and reached just 20 at the end of the powerplay at six overs.
Shathi’s demise brought skipper Joty to the wicket and her more adventurous approach guided her team to 42 for two at mid-off, but they slipped to 52 for three when she was run out for 15 from Smith’s accurate throw to wicketkeeper Jones.
When leg-spinner Sarah Glenn bowled Shorna Akter for two in the 13th over, Bangladesh needed 64 from 46 balls and although Sobhana Mostary pulled Dean for six in the 16th over, Smith cleaned up Taj Nehar for seven and Sciver-Brunt accounted for Ritu for two to leave them needing 34 from 14 balls.
Mostary’s 44 from 48 balls before falling in weight to Dean was the only score of note in an innings that was never really allowed to get going.
