Bangladesh secured their first victory at an ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup since 2014, defeating debutants Scotland by 16 runs. Saskia Horley's three late wickets played a crucial role in stifling Bangladesh, who were led by Sobhana Mostary, who scored her highest international score of 36, contributing to a total of 119 for seven. In pursuit of 120, Scotland experienced frequent shifts from comfort to chaos, with Sarah Bryce unable to establish partnerships. Bangladesh's bowlers effectively restricted Scotland's reply, and despite Bryce's unbeaten 49 off 52 balls, the newcomers managed only 103-7, granting Bangladesh their first T20 World Cup win in a decade.
"We have been waiting for this moment for a long time," said Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty. "We had in our minds that this is our moment. Means a lot." Ritu Moni was awarded player of the match for her economical spell of 2-15 from four overs. The match was a challenging opener for both teams, with temperatures soaring to 38 degrees Celsius and the batters struggling on a sluggish pitch and slow outfield. The match saw just 15 fours and no sixes, with the sparse crowd at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium left without much to cheer.
"It was not very easy to bat on initially," said Joty, who was playing her 100th T20I. "We had a good total and we kept believing in ourselves. We have a very good spin attack. We are trying to get the momentum and we got it. Very happy that we fought back and seeing them (the girls) smile is the biggest inspiration." Meanwhile, Scotland lamented some poor fielding, with three straightforward catches being dropped.
"We were a little bit sloppy in the field," said skipper Katheryn Bryce. "A couple of misfields and overthrows. Those little things can cost you in the end. It was always going to be tough (playing our first match), getting over the nerves. It was nice to get out there, put in some fight."
