Bangladesh women’s cricket team wrapped up a flawless campaign in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers with a composed seven-wicket victory over the Netherlands at the Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground on Sunday.
Already assured of a place in the main tournament, scheduled to be held in England later this year, the Tigresses completed the qualifiers with a perfect seven wins from seven matches, underlining their dominance throughout the competition.
Chasing a modest target of 103, Bangladesh were jolted early as openers Dilara Akter and Juairiya Ferdous were dismissed cheaply, leaving the side struggling at 6 for 2. However, skipper Nigar Sultana Joty once again led from the front, calmly rebuilding the innings and restoring stability.
Nigar added 42 runs for the third wicket with Sharmin Akhter, who contributed 13 before falling. From there on, Bangladesh remained firmly in control as Nigar found an ideal partner in Sobhana Mostary. The duo stitched together an unbroken 57-run stand, guiding the team home with ease and authority.
Nigar remained unbeaten on 50 from 44 balls, striking seven boundaries to register her 10th T20I half-century. Sobhana played the aggressor’s role, finishing not out on 33 off 23 deliveries, including five fours and a six. Bangladesh reached the target at 105 for 3 with 20 balls to spare.
Earlier, the Netherlands struggled after opting to bat first, undone by Bangladesh’s disciplined spin bowling. Left-arm spinner Nahida Akter produced a standout performance, returning figures of 3 for 10 from her four overs to reduce the Dutch side to 23 for 5.
A resilient 78-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Robine Rijke and Sania Khurana helped the Netherlands recover from collapse. Rijke scored 39, while Khurana remained unbeaten on 43, lifting the total to 102 for 6. Despite the late resistance, the score proved well below par against a confident Bangladeshi lineup.
With this result, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and Ireland have all secured qualification for the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, set to take place in England in June, as the Tigresses head into the global event with strong momentum and belief.
