Women's World Cup Qualifier Bangladesh, 2011 Bangladesh win ODI status

(Top)Bangladesh opener Suktara Rahman cuts the ball off the back foot during her unbeaten 29 and (Bottom Left) off-spinner Khadija Tul Kubra, who took four wickets to help the hosts to a 9-wicket victory over USA, in action during their ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers play-off match at BKSP-2 in Savar yesterday. 

Bangladesh galloped past USA to win by nine wickets in only 18.5 overs in their ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers play-off match at the BKSP-2 in Savar and thus attained ODI and T20 status yesterday. As a result Bangladesh will play their first One Day International match against Ireland, whom they defeated during the group stages, for the fifth place play-off on Saturday.

Bangladesh will have ODI status until the next ICC Women's World Cup Qualifiers and will have to play at least three ODIs and three T20s within each 12-month period until the next World Cup Qualifiers in order to keep their ODI status.

Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, USA got off to a decent start and were at one stage 60 for 2 and looked set to post a score well past 150, which would have been a challenging total for the hosts. But from there USA collapsed to 78 all out in 47.3 overs thanks mainly to the brilliant off-spin of player-of-the-match Khadija Tul Kubra who ended with figures of 4-20 in her allotted ten overs. As a result Kubra became the leading wicket taker of the tournament with a tally of 17 wickets from just six games. All of the other Bangladeshi bowlers chipped in with a wicket apiece except for opening bowler Panna Ghosh. USA skipper Doris Francis top-scored with 23.

In reply, Bangladesh set about the chase cautiously but lost opener Ayesha Akhtar early with the team's score on 12 to the bowling of Triholder Marshall in the fifth over. From there on batswomen Suktara Rahaman, who scored 29 not out and Farjana Hoque who scored 27 not out, forged a partnership of 67 runs from 88 deliveries to take the home side to a historic win. The partnership consisted of some enterprising late cuts and textbook cover drives mixed with some calculated risks in lofted hits over mid on to take all of the opposition bowlers to task. The USA bowlers were also guilty of bowling too many wides, 14 to be exact, when defending such a paltry total.

The hosts then went on a victory lap around the BKSP field hoisting the Bangladesh flag, making for some truly memorable scenes showcasing just how much the victory and the achievement of the ODI status meant to the young team.

In the day's other matches, West Indies defeated Sri Lanka by 58 runs in their semi-final encounter in Fatullah while Pakistan emerged victors over South Africa by three wickets in the other semifinal in Mirpur. At BKSP-3 meanwhile, Ireland prevailed over Netherlands by four wickets in their play-off encounter.

Stefanie Taylor, Deandra Dottin and skipper Merissa Aguilleira all hammered fifties for the West Indies as the Caribbean side ran up a formidable total of 235 for 5. Sri Lanka could only muster 177 for 7 in reply with opener Chamari Atapattu top-scoring with 56.

Off-spinner Anisa Mohammed was the highest wicket-taker for the Windies with three scalps.

South Africa scored a competitive 180 for 9 with a lot of their batswomen getting starts but not continuing on to bigger scores. Captain Mignon du Preez was the highest scorer with 41. Pakistan pace bowler Asmavia Parvez was the most successful bowler with 3 for 15. In the chase, Pakistan lost early wickets to be reduced to 22 for 3, but a middle order recovery saw them home in a tense finish with 13 balls to spare to meet West Indies in the final. Javeria Khan top-scored with 47.

In the play-off match, the Netherlands could only crawl to 139 for 9 after winning the toss and choosing to bat. Kerry-Ann Tomlinson top-scored with 34, while the Irish bowlers did not help their cause conceding 20 wides. Ireland then cantered to the total in the 33rd over with all the batswomen reaching double figures. Jill Whelan top-scored with 27.

SCORES IN BRIEF
USA: 78 all out in 47.3 overs (Francis 23; Kubra 4-20).

BANGLADESH: 79-1 in 18.5 overs (Suktara 29 not out, Farjana 27 not out; Marshall 1-9)

Result: Bangladesh won by nine wickets.

WEST INDIES: 235 for 5 (Dottin 73, Taylor 58, Aguilleira 53; Ranasinghe 2-31).

SRI LANKA: 177 for 7 (Atapattu 56, de Alwis 39 not out; Mohammed 3-21, King 2-30)

Result: West Indies won by 58 runs.

SOUTH AFRICA: 180 for 9 (du Preez 41, van Niekerk 31; Iqbal 3-15, Mir 2-40).

PAKISTAN: 181 for 7 in 47.5 overs (Khan 47, Abidi 29, Marina 28 not out; Loubser 2-22)

Result: Pakistan won by 3 wickets

NETHERLANDS: 139 for 9 (Tomlinson 34, Rambaldo 27; Richardson 2-34).

IRELAND: 140 for 6 in 32.2 overs (Whelan 27, Richardson 22; Bennett 3-20).

Result: Ireland won by 4 wickets