SHARJAH: England’s spinners Linsey Smith and Charlie Dean powered their team to a 21-run victory over Bangladesh, securing a winning start to their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign on Saturday.
The decision to field four spinners proved decisive for England, as the 2009 champions successfully defended their lowest-ever total in T20 World Cup history, restricting Bangladesh to 97-7 on a sluggish Sharjah pitch. England had posted a modest 118-7, thanks to a crucial 41-run knock from opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge.
Bangladesh’s middle-order batter Sobhana Mostary fought hard, scoring a patient 44 off 48 balls, which included a towering six over deep square leg off Charlie Dean. However, her effort was not enough as Bangladesh fell short of the target, managing just 97 runs in their 20 overs.
The loss was a setback for Bangladesh, who came into the match with high hopes after securing their first T20 World Cup victory in a decade against Scotland earlier in the tournament.
“We missed a good opportunity to beat a strong side. Our bowlers did a great job, but unfortunately, our batters couldn’t deliver,” said Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana. “On this type of surface, we needed a strong partnership, but we lost wickets too early in the powerplay.”
England, opting to bat first, started cautiously as Wyatt-Hodge and Maia Bouchier (23) carefully navigated the challenging conditions. Wyatt-Hodge’s 40-ball 41 was the anchor for England’s innings, while Bouchier added valuable runs before being dismissed in the fifth over.
Bouchier, who was dropped on 16 by Rabeya Khan at point, hit two consecutive boundaries off Marufa Akter before being caught at mid-on by Nahida Akter.
Bangladesh’s bowlers struck regularly, with Fahima Khatun trapping the dangerous Nat Sciver-Brunt for just two runs in the eighth over. England’s captain, Heather Knight, was bowled for six when she attempted a drive down the ground, missing completely to give Ritu Moni a crucial wicket.
Despite the frequent breakthroughs by Bangladesh’s bowlers, England managed to reach 118-7 by the end of their innings.
“It was tough out there, especially for batting and hitting boundaries,” said Knight after the match. “We had targeted 135-140, but credit to Danni [Wyatt-Hodge] and Maia [Bouchier] for doing well in difficult conditions.”
In response, Bangladesh’s chase never gathered momentum. The English spinners, led by Linsey Smith (2-19) and Charlie Dean (2-21), stifled Bangladesh’s batting lineup. Apart from Mostary’s resistance, no other batter could reach double figures, and Bangladesh’s hopes were dashed as they failed to build partnerships.
Smith and Dean’s tight bowling ensured that the pressure remained on Bangladesh throughout the chase, ultimately sealing a 21-run win for England.
Match Summary:
England: 118-7 in 20 overs (Danni Wyatt-Hodge 41, Maia Bouchier 23, Fahima Khatun 2-23)
Bangladesh: 97-7 in 20 overs (Sobhana Mostary 44, Linsey Smith 2-19, Charlie Dean 2-21)
England won by 21 runs.
