Bangladesh A successfully defended a target of 60 against Pakistan A in Asian Cricket Council Women's Emerging Teams Cup. Playing in Mong Kok, Hong Kong, Bangladesh and Pakistan played a rain-curtailed nine overs per side game where Bangladesh won the semi-final by six runs.
Bangladesh A skipper Lata Mondal won the toss and opted to bat first. The decision backfired as their batting collapsed and lost six wickets for 16 runs in just 3.4 overs. Sobhana Mostary and Mondal got out for ducks whereas other batters registered single-digit scores. Fatima Sana and Anosha Nasir took three and two wickets respectively.
The seventh wicket partnership between Rabeya Khan and Nahida Akter helped Bangladesh A recover. While Rabeya scored 10 runs from 20 balls and remained not out, Nahida scored 21 runs from 16 balls including three fours and one six before getting stumped out. Sultana Khatun helped Bangladesh finish in style with a six as they posted 59/7.
In reply, Pakistan A got off to a decent start. Shawaal Zulfiqar and Eyman Fatima put on 26 runs for the first wicket. Rabeya got the breakthrough with the wicket of Eyman who scored 18 runs from 15 balls including two fours and one six.
Then, Nahida came in to play and got the wicket of Shawaal Zulfiqar (11). Sadaf Shamas and Natalia Pervaiz registered single-digit scores as Pakistan needed 13 runs off the final over. In the last over Sanjida Akter bowled brilliantly and considered just six singles from it. Syeda Aroob Shah and Fatima Sana remained not out as Pakistan were able to post 53/4 from nine overs and lost the match by six runs.
Nahida was adjudged 'Player of the match' as she rescued Bangladesh A with a 16-ball 21 cameo followed by an economical spell conceding eight runs from two overs including a wicket.
Bangladesh A will now face India A at the same venue on June 21. In the other semi-final, the match was abandoned without a ball being bowled but India A progressed to the final as they had higher net run rate (NRR).
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