GUWAHATI: On a day when England needed somebody to stand tall, Heather Knight rose to the occasion with a gritty unbeaten 79* run that helped them overcome a spirited Bangladesh challenge in the eighth match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 here at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
England eventually managed to chase down a partly 179-run target, huffing and puffing to victory by four wickets with 23 balls to spare.
The Three Lions started the chase on a shaky note as opener Amy Jones was trapped lbw after scoring one in the first over.
Bangladesh dealt the second blow in the form of Tammy Beaumont as Marufa Akter got her second wicket. As a result, England were 29-2 in 6.1 overs.
The tigers continued to mount pressure with tight bowling; however, Heather Knight stood in their way. She formed a string of vital partnerships that eventually saw them over the line.
First, she added a 40-run stand with Nat Sciver-Brunt, who scored 32 from 41 balls with the help of five fours.
Bangladesh had a hold of the match with a double strike in the 18th over. Brunt and Dunkley were removed for nought in quick succession. The slide continued as two more wickets fell in a short span of time.
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Consequently, England were reduced to 103-6 in 29.3. Yet they survived courtesy of Charlie Dean and the Knights’ match-winning partnership of 79* runs.
Dean remained unbeaten on 27 from 56, striking two boundaries, whereas Knight’s masterful knock included eight fours and a six.
For Bangladesh, Fahima Khatun picked up three wickets.
Earlier, England capitalized on the decision to bowl first and, courtesy of Sophie Ecclestone’s three-wicket haul and impressive bowling performance, bowled out Bangladesh for a modest total of 178.
Opener Rubya Haider was sent back on the last ball of the fourth over, whereas skipper Nigar Sultana also perished in the next over, which slumped them to 25-2.
England kept checking Bangladesh with economical bowling and regular wickets in the middle overs.
Sobhana Mostary remained the top-scorer for Bangladesh with 60 from 108 balls with the aid of eight fours. She was involved in a string of partnerships that provided some respite before Rabeya Khan’s brisk knock lifted them out of trouble.
She struck six fours and a maximum on her way to 43 from 27 balls.
For England, Sophie Ecclestone remained the standout bowler, picking up a three-wicket haul. Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, and Linsey Smith took two wickets each.
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