Women’s World Cup: Pakistan win toss, elect to bat first against Bangladesh

COLOMBO: Pakistan have won the toss and decided to bat first against Sri Bangladesh in the third match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 here at R Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.

Playing XIs

Bangladesh: 1 Farqana Hoque, 2 Rubya Haider, 3 Sharmin Akhter, 4 Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), 5 Sobhana Mostary, 6 Shorna Akter, 7 Fahima Khatun, 8 Nahida Akter, 9 Rabeya Khan, 10 Marufa Akter, 11 Nishita Akter

Pakistan: 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Omaima Sohail, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana, 7 Sidra Nawaz, 8 Rameen Shamim, 9 Nashra Sandhu, 10 Diana Baig, 11 Sadia Iqbal

HEAD TO HEAD

Pakistan and  Bangladesh came face to face 16 times in Women’s ODIs with the Green Shirts narrowly ahead with 8-7 lead.

Matches 16, Pakistan 8,  Bangladesh  7, Tie 1

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Bangladesh thump Pakistan to seal Women’s ODI series 2-1

Bangladesh women beat Pakistan women by seven wickets in the third ODI at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Friday.

The win also means the hosts claim the ODI series 2-1 and secure four vital points of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25.

After opting to bat first, Pakistan managed to score 166 for nine in their allotted 50 overs. Opening batters Sadaf Shamas and Sidra Amin provided a solid 65-run start to the innings.

After the departure of Sadaf (31, 61b, 2x4s) in the 20th over, Sidra was joined by Muneeba Ali, who staged a comeback in the side after missing out in the second ODI due to injury.

She scored 14 off 36, which included one four before getting out to Shorna Akter in the 31st over.

After the departure of Muneeba, Sidra kept losing her partners on the other end and eventually, the tourists ended up scoring 166 for nine. Sidra returned undefeated on 84 off 143 balls, smashing three fours.

For Bangladesh, Nahida Akter was the most successful bowler, taking three wickets for 26 runs. Rabeya Khan was another contributor with the ball, grabbing two wickets for 35 runs from 10 overs.

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In turn, Bangladesh’s opening pair of Fargana Hoque and Murshida Khatun knitted a 125-run partnership for the first wicket.

Fargana top-scored for her side with a 113-ball 62, hitting five fours. Her partner, left-handed Murshida scored 54 off 106 balls, which included six boundaries.

Bangladesh achieved the target in the 46th over for the loss of three wickets with skipper Nigar Sultana and Sobhana Mostary the two batters not out at the end.

Fargana was named player of the match while Nahida for her tally of seven wickets bagged the player of the series award.

Pakistan women’s team will head home tomorrow having taken part in the three-match T20I and three-match ODI series. The touring side earlier lost the T20I series 2-1, which was held in Chattogram.

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Bangladesh Women edge Pakistan in low-scoring first T20I

CHITTAGONG: Nahida Akter returned with astonishing figures of 5/8 and powered Bangladesh Women to edge Pakistan Women by five wickets in the first T20I of the three-match series here on Wednesday.

Put into bat first by Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana, Pakistan Women’s batting lineup failed completely and could only accumulate 82 runs before being bundled out in the final over.

The touring side, after 12 overs, were 52/2 with experienced batters Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar at the crease before both set batters perished in the next two successive overs.

Pakistan Women’s captain Nida Dar scored 14 in 21 deliveries with the help of a boundary while Bismah Maroof top-scored with a 29-ball 20.

Pakistan Women then lost three more wickets in quick succession and thus slipped to 67/7 in 16.3 overs.

Coming out to bat at number six, Natalia Pervaiz then added valuable runs at the backend with her 16-ball 15 before perishing in the penultimate over.

Bangladesh Women’s bowlers then ran through Pakistan’s batting tail and booked the visitors on a modest total.

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Nahida Akter spearheaded Bangladesh’s bowling attack with a five-wicket haul while Shorna Akter, Rabeya Khan and Sultana Khatun contributed with a wicket apiece.

In response, Bangladesh Women completed the pursuit for the loss of five wickets and three balls to spare.

The home side had a shaky start to the 83-run pursuit as they were two down for 33 in 9.5 overs.

Skipper Nigar Sultana then joined Murshida Khatun in the middle and put together a vital 24-run partnership before the latter perished in the 15th over.

Khatun scored a cautious 40-ball 23 with the help of two boundaries.

Bangladesh Women then lost two more wickets in the modest run chase but their captain Nigar Sultana stood her ground firm and led the home side to a narrow victory in the final over.

She top-scored with an unbeaten 26. Her 28-ball knock featured three boundaries.

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