Nigar Sultana hails Bangladesh's effort (Source: @imfemalecricket/x.com)
The ongoing Women’s World Cup is spreading some outstanding white ball excitement as the teams are putting best effort to chase the ultimate glory. As the South Africa Women faced the Bangladesh Women in the last game and the match was nothing but a thriller.
After the Protea Women secured a thrilling victory in the last over, Bangladesh’s fight won hearts. After the heartbreaking defeat, Skipper Nigar Sultana Joty praised her team’s spirit, singling out Shorna Akter’s brilliant batting as the shining light in a match.
Heartfelt applause for a brave battle
Despite being treated as the underdog in the ongoing tournament, Bangladesh Women proved their abilities in the last game against South Africa Women. After a great effort with the bat, their bowlers turned the tables. Even after troubling the Protea batting order, the match slipped away from their hand, but their effort earned worldwide praise.
The match stayed thrilling until the last over, as one error from South Africa could have swung the game towards Bangladesh. After the narrow defeat, skipper Nigar Sultana Joty lauded her team’s spirited display, calling it a performance to be proud of and a valuable lesson for the future.
“First of all, I am really proud of the way my girls fought till the last ball of the match but I am sad because they are crying in the dressing room. They are so young. I am really happy as they gave their 110% in the ground, fight for each and every run and they are very emotional. They kept believing that we can get this win. It was a big learning for us,” she said.
Shorna Akter wins praise from the captain
While batting first, Bangladeshi batters impressed with their batting performance, but Shorna Akter’s quick and impactful innings made the difference. With a thrilling half-century, she remained unbeaten in 51 runs in 35 balls with a whopping strike rate of 145.71. After the match, the captain praised the batter for her extraordinary effort.
“Definitely. I have been talking about her for a long, long time. She couldn't give her 100% in the middle but she kept trying. I know the potential she has. We enjoyed her innings, and she showed us how we should bat,” she added.
Despite the defeat, Bangladesh’s fighting spirit stayed strong. Sitting sixth on the points table, the team remains optimistic about turning things around. Reflecting on the road ahead, skipper Nigar Sultana Jyoti expressed firm confidence in her side’s determination.
“I will just say that everyone needs to be proud of their efforts. This is not our last game of the tournament. We have 3 more games left. We should be proud, and we should keep our heads held high. We gave them a tough fight,” she said.
In the ongoing group stage, Bangladesh Women have three more games left. As they are set to face Australia Women in the next match, they will try to earn a victory to keep the knockout hope alive.
