Bangladesh’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals took a significant blow after a poor performance with both bat and ball. The West Indies, led by Karishma Ramharack’s four-wicket haul and Hayley Matthews’ quickfire 34, cruised to an eight-wicket victory in Sharjah. Chasing a modest target of 104, the West Indies reached 104 for 2 in just 12.5 overs, securing their second win in three matches and moving to the top of Group B. They now join South Africa and England in contention for the two semi-final spots, though England have a game in hand.
For Bangladesh, this was their second defeat in three matches, putting a serious dent in their chances of advancing. Their batting woes continued, losing six wickets for just 27 runs after being sent in to bat first.
Ramharack’s Dominance
The West Indies used seven bowlers, but it was Ramharack who stood out, taking a wicket in each of her four overs. Her first victim was opener Shathi Rani, stumped while attempting a sweep. Ramharack then bowled Dilara Akter in her second over, and later had Sobhana Mostary stumped, breaking a crucial 40-run third-wicket partnership for Bangladesh. She wrapped up her spell by dismissing Ritu Moni with a brilliant catch in the deep, finishing with figures of 4 for 17.
Nigar Sultana’s Struggle
Bangladesh’s innings showed early promise, with Nigar Sultana playing positively after the openers fell in the powerplay. She targeted legspinner Afy Fletcher, hitting three boundaries in one over and reaching 27 off 27. However, after Mostary’s dismissal and Fletcher’s twin strikes in the 15th over, Nigar slowed down. Despite some sloppy fielding from the West Indies, her next 17 deliveries yielded only 12 runs before she was dismissed by Matthews in the final over, finishing on 39.
Matthews Leads the Chase
Bangladesh’s bowlers struggled to maintain consistent lines, allowing the West Indies batters to capitalize on short deliveries. Matthews, in particular, was ruthless in the powerplay, striking several boundaries off the back foot. She scored 34 from 22 balls before being bowled by Marufa Akter, but by that point, the West Indies were in full control. Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin comfortably completed the chase, with Dottin smashing an unbeaten 19 off just seven balls.
The victory keeps the West Indies’ semi-final hopes alive, while Bangladesh now face an uphill battle to recover in the tournament.