Bangladesh thrash Malaysia in Women’s Asia Cup

After losing to Pakistan, Bangladesh bounced back and crushed Malaysia in their third match of the Women’s Asia Cup at the Sylhet Outer Cricket Stadium on Thursday. 

After winning the toss, Bangladesh decided to bat first and posted 129 runs after losing five wickets. In reply, Malaysia were bowled out for just 41 runs and the hosts won the match by a huge margin of 88 runs.

It was a disastrous start for the visitors as they collected just 13 runs from the first six overs after losing three wickets. Fariha Islam Trishna claimed the first three wickets and bagged a hat-trick as well.

She removed Winifred Duraisingam, Mas Elysa and Mahirah Izzati Ismail respectively on the second, third and fourth delivery in her third over.

The pacer trapped Elysa in front of the off-stump. However, Trishna’s delivery went bursting through Duraisingam and Mahirah to make a mess of the stumps behind.

This is the second hat-trick by a Tigress bowler. Earlier in 2018, spinner Fahima Khatun achieved this feat against UAE in the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier match.

Only a single boundary was hit in the Malaysia innings and none of them reached double-figure runs. On the other hand, their five batters went for ducks.

Except for Trishna’s three wickets, Fahima Khatun, Shanjida Akter and Rumana Ahmed claimed two each while former skipper Salma Khatun picked up one wicket.

Earlier in the first innings, Murshida Khatun and skipper Nigar Sultana Joty both smashed half-centuries and helped their side to post a fighting total. Murshida struck six boundaries to score 56 off 54 while Joty made 53 after facing 34 balls. She hit six boundaries and a single maximum to decorate her innings and was named the Player of the Match as well.

After the match, she said, “We wanted to play positive cricket here. The wicket was slow and we adjusted there. We just wanted to put a score on the board.”

“Murshida played really well and our bowlers were brilliant too. We started slowly, but I told Murshida that if we played till the 19th over, we could finish well.

“It was a brilliant hat-trick. Trisna is a very smart bowler and we had faith in her. I waited for the last five overs and knew that if I stayed, 130 would be possible. While going into the bowl, we wanted to get them out as soon as possible.”