After suffering two consecutive defeats, New Zealand women's cricket team finally opened their winning account and garnered two points in the Women's World Cup 2025 standings with a commanding 100-run victory over Bangladesh on October 10. Chasing a target of 228, Bangladesh team were skittled out for just 127 in 39.5 overs.
New Zealand beat Bangladesh to register first win in Women's World Cup 2025
The bowling effort for the White Ferns was spearheaded by Jess Kerr and Lea Tahuhu, who both claimed three wickets each. For Bangladesh, only three batters managed to reach double digits, Fahima Khatun (29), Nahida Akter (17), and Rabeya Khan. This dominant victory allowed New Zealand to climb the points table, securing the fifth spot and leapfrogging Bangladesh.
New Zealand relied heavily on the performances of their middle order after the top-order failed to impress. Captain Sophie Devine played a crucial role in stabilising the innings with a fine knock of 63 off 85 balls, supported by Brooke Halliday's 69, to bail the team out of trouble.
Bangladesh's batting collapse
Chasing a target of 228, Bangladesh never gained control, as wickets fell consistently throughout the innings. The procession of dismissals began early when Rosemary Mair bowled a sensational delivery that disturbed the stumps of opener Sharmin Akter.
The struggles were epitomized by captain Nigar Sultana’s innings of just 4 off 28 balls, which summarized Bangladesh's overall batting performance. The fighting spirit they had displayed in their game against England was noticeably absent against the White Ferns, allowing all the New Zealand bowlers to chip in effectively. Sobhana Mostary, who had impressed against England, was dismissed cheaply by Jess Kerr for only 2 off 11 balls.
Bangladesh could only manage 22 runs in their Powerplay overs, a crucial phase where they needed to accelerate and put pressure on a New Zealand side that had been struggling with chases. The failure to hit a single boundary during this period was particularly telling, marking the first time in the ongoing tournament that they failed to do so and magnifying the issues in their batting strategy. The quick dismissals of Sultana, Sumaiya, and Shorna all within the span of two overs only compounded their troubles.
Jess Kerr and Lea Tahuhu shine for New Zealand
Later, Nahida and Fahima offered some resistance with a 33-run stand before Mair secured another breakthrough. Rabeya and Fahima then continued to frustrate the New Zealand attack, putting on a defiant 44-run partnership to ensure Bangladesh crossed the 100-run mark. However, Jess Kerr returned to remove Rabeya, finally getting New Zealand closer to sealing their victory.
Sobhana Mostary, who had been impressive in the match against England, was dismissed cheaply by Jess Kerr for just 2 off 11 balls. This set the tone for a disastrous Powerplay for Bangladesh, during which they managed only 22 runs. This period was crucial for accelerating the innings and putting pressure on a New Zealand side that had struggled in their previous chase against South Africa.
The failure to hit a single boundary during the Powerplay was particularly telling, marking the first time in the ongoing tournament that Bangladesh had failed to do so, which greatly magnified their batting issues. Things quickly worsened as Sultana, Sumaiya, and Shorna were all dismissed within a span of just two overs, pushing Bangladesh into significant trouble.
A brief glimmer of hope appeared when Nahida and Fahima combined for a 33-run partnership, but Rosemary Mair soon secured the crucial breakthrough. Later, Rabeya and Fahima provided further resistance, frustrating the New Zealand bowlers and forcing them to become somewhat desperate to close out the game. The pair managed to put on a 44-run stand that ensured Bangladesh crossed the 100-run mark before Jess Kerr returned to remove Rabeya, finally getting New Zealand within touching distance of victory.
New Zealand will now face Sri Lanka on October 14 while Bangladesh will take on South Africa on October 13