ICC Women's CWC 2022 | ENG-W vs BAN-W | Dunkley, Ecclestone, guide England into the World Cup semifinal

Defending champions England thrashed Bangladesh by 100 to reach the ICC Women's World Cup semifinals with ease on Sunday (March 27) in Wellington. This win came on the back of Sophia Dunkley's run-a-ball 67. Bangladesh finished seventh in the points table in their first-ever women's World Cup.

England has joined Australia, South Africa and West Indies in the semifinals. The defending champions started with three successive losses but secured back-to-back wins to seal the deal.

 Sophia Dunkley's 72-ball 67 helped the England post 234/6 at Basin Reserve, and a stunning bowling performance - led by Sophie Ecclestone's 3/15 - saw Bangladesh struggle in the middle and were bundled out for 134 in the 48th over.

Experienced pacer Anya Shrubsole was rested on Sunday, giving a chance to Charlie Dean (3/31) and Freya Davies (2/36) to show their class as Heather Knight used seven different bowlers to dismantle the Bangladesh batting orders successfully.

Bangladesh's chase never looked smooth as the openers managed to bat 18 overs for 42 runs. Ecclestone sent both of them in her spell of 7-3-11-2. By then, Bangladesh scored 51 runs after 22 overs and the asking rate increased above 6.5 as well.

They reached past 100 in the 37th over, after Ecclestone's last strike of the day to remove Nigar Sultana for 22, and soon after and Freya Davies picked a couple each to help England win as well.

After England opted to bat, the veteran duo - Jahanara Alam and Salma Khatun struck early in the game to leave them at 26/2 inside eight overs. Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver then added 60 runs to steady the ship, but Bangladesh struck twice in quick succession to dismiss both the set batters. 

Dunkley and Jones then shared England's best partnership of the game over the next 15 overs as well. The all-rounder took England past 150 in the 39th over and set up the platform for a late charge. However, she played a freehand after reaching her 61-ball fifty, but Bangladesh managed to dismiss them again quickly. It was eventually Brunt and Ecclestone's steady batting that gave England 47 in their final five overs as well.

Brief scores: England 234/6 in 50 overs (Sophia Dunkley 67, Nat Sciver 40; Salma Khatun 2-46) beat Bangladesh 134 all out in 48 overs (Lata Mondal 30; Sophie Ecclestone 3-15, Charlotte Dean 3-36) by 100 runs.