Former captain Heather Knight drew on her wealth of experience to score a match-winning half-century, leading England to a four-wicket victory over a valiant Bangladesh side in the Women’s World Cup on Tuesday.
Despite being bowled out for 178, Bangladesh’s bowling unit, spearheaded by leg-spinner Fahima Khatun (3/16 in 10 overs) and pacer Marufa Akter (2/28 in 5 overs), fought fiercely to leave England struggling at 78 for five in the 23rd over and 103 for six in the 30th over.
ICC Women’s World Cup 2025: England Vs Bangladesh – Highlights
However, Knight, who stepped down from the captaincy in March, rose to the occasion, addressing the challenge posed by the Bangladesh bowlers with confidence and asserting her dominance with bold strokes when
the opposition seemed close to victory.
Knight remained unbeaten on 79 off 111 balls, with Charlie Dean not out on 27 off 56, as they secured the winning runs.
As Knight battled the Bangladesh bowlers at their peak, she found a reliable partner in Dean. Together, they added 79 runs for the seventh wicket, ensuring victory for their team with 23 balls to spare.
Earlier, Sophie Ecclestone played a crucial role with impressive figures of 3/24 in a professional performance by England’s spinners.
For Bangladesh, Sobhana Mostary top-scored with a patient 108-ball 60, while Rabeya Khan contributed an entertaining 43 off 27 balls after batting at number nine, demonstrating to the top-order batters how it should be done after England chose to field first.
In addition to Ecclestone, off-spinners Charlotte Dean (2/28 in 10 overs) and Alice Capsey (2/31 in 8 overs) each took two wickets for England.
England’s start was disastrous, losing Amy Jones (1) in the first over, trapped in front by young pacer Akter with a big inswinger after the batter shuffled across.
Bangladesh missed a chance to take their second wicket in the next over as Marufa dropped Tammy Beaumont, who failed to connect properly with a lofted shot off left-arm spinner Nahida Akter, who had offered some air to the ball.
However, Beaumont could not capitalise on her reprieve as Marufa made amends, getting the batter out lbw for 13, leaving England at 29 for two at the beginning of the seventh over.
England found some relief when Knight successfully reviewed a caught-behind decision against Marufa.
England appeared to be recovering from the initial blows when leg-spinner Fahima Khatun struck twice in the same over, including dismissing skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt (32 off 41 balls), leaving the team in a precarious position at 69 for four in the 19th over.
Fahima further compounded England’s woes by removing Emma Lamb. But Knight stood firm until the end, driving her team to victory.
Earlier, coming off a convincing win against Pakistan in their tournament opener, Bangladesh started confidently with Sharmin Akhter scoring 14 runs off a Lauren Bell over, while left-arm spinner Linsey Smith kept things tight at the other end, despite Bell being hit for three boundaries by Sharmin Akhter (30 off 53 balls).
Smith, handed the new ball, maintained pressure at one end while Bell struck in her third over, dismissing Rubya Haider after a mistimed lofted shot ended in the hands of Sophia Dunkley, who backtracked to complete a good catch.
England captain Natalie Sciver-Brunt deserves credit for the opening breakthrough, as she persisted with Bell despite the bowler being hit for three boundaries by Sharmin Akhter.
Skipper Nigar Sultana seemed indecisive, playing a half-hearted drive in the air after the ball stopped on her, resulting in a catch to Charlie Dean at short cover off Smith’s bowling.
Sultana failed to open her account, and after a promising start, Bangladesh found themselves on the back foot, losing two wickets within five balls at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, where the famous ‘Ya Ali’ song was played sporadically in memory of late singer and Assam’s biggest cultural icon, Zubeen Garg, who recently passed away.
Sobhana Mostary joined Akhter, and they added 34 runs, playing some lovely shots until the latter was caught behind off a classical left-arm spinning delivery by Ecclestone in the 16th over.
This was England’s second successive victory in the tournament after a 10-wicket win over South Africa.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh Women: 178 all out in 49.4 overs (Sobhana Mostary 60, Rabeya Khan 43; Sophie Ecclestone 3/24, Charlie Dean 2/28).
England Women: 182 for 6 in 46.1 overs (Heather Knight 79 not out; Fahima Khatun 3/16).
(With inputs from PTI)
