Bangladesh women’s cricket team began their ICC Women’s World Cup campaign in style, defeating Pakistan by seven wickets on Thursday.

Chasing a modest target of 130, Bangladesh cruised to victory in 31.1 overs, reaching 131 for 3 with 113 balls to spare. Opener Rubya Haider anchored the innings with an unbeaten 54 off 77 balls, while Sobhana Mostary provided strong support with 24 not out.

Earlier, Pakistan, after opting to bat first, were bowled out for 129 in 38.3 overs. Rameen Shamim top-scored with 23 runs, while skipper Fatima Sana added 22. However, the rest of the batting line-up failed to provide resistance against Bangladesh’s disciplined attack.

Shorna Akter was the star with the ball for Bangladesh, claiming 3 wickets for just 5 runs. Marufa Akter and Nahida Akter picked up two wickets each, as Pakistan suffered a collapse and failed to build partnerships.

Brief Scores:

Pakistan: 129 all out in 38.3 overs (Rameen Shamim 23, Fatima Sana 22; Shorna Akter 3/5).

Bangladesh: 131/3 in 31.1 overs (Rubya Haider 54*, Sobhana Mostary 24*; Diana Baig 1/14).

MN/