Australia, the defending champion, defeated Bangladesh by an eight-wicket margin to advance to the Women’s T20 World Cup semifinals.
Chasing 108 in Gqeberha, they triumphed with 10 balls remaining with to captain Meg Lanning’s unbeaten 48, which she scored after opener Alyssa Healy had scored 37.
Nigar Sultana Joty’s 57 points helped Bangladesh score 107-7, and Georgia Wareham, who was back in the lineup, claimed 3-20.
In Group 1, Australia wins, leaving Bangladesh in fourth place after two losses.
After fast bowler Darcie Brown got Bangladesh’s opener Shamima Sultana caught and then sent Murshida Khatun through the gate, Lanning’s team was able to contain Bangladesh due to their strong fielding.
Before Wareham, who was making her international cricket comeback after a 16-month knee injury, had Sobhana Mostary caught at mid-wicket, Joty and Mostary put up a 31-run partnership.
Despite Joty hitting at more than a run per ball at the other end, Shorna Akter produced a laborious 12 from 27 balls to halt the Bangladesh innings.
The second-highest score in the innings, Shorna’s 12, left Bangladesh far short of a total sufficient to defeat Australia’s formidable batting lineup.
In the third over, Beth Mooney was indeed caught by teenage Marufa Akter at slip before Lanning edged her fourth ball just short of slip.
After that, Lanning and Healy took charge of the chase, adding 69 runs for the second wicket before Healy was caught off Shorna in the covers.
Australia’s pursuit was sluggish; they mostly scored singles and only managed four boundaries in the final 11.3 overs of the chase.
Lanning and Ash Gardner, who sold for a joint-record price of £320,000 for an international player in Monday’s Women’s Premier League auction, shared an unbroken 33 to help them easily cross the finish line.
