Seamer Hayley Jensen and off-spinner Leigh Kasperek took three wickets apiece as New Zealand produced a tremendous comeback to beat Bangladesh by 17 runs in a low-scoring match at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup here on Saturday.
The White Ferns were left in a spot of bother having been bowled out for 91 in 18.2 overs but their bowlers produced a stunning display to dismiss Bangladesh 17 runs short.
Bangladesh was dismissed for 74.
Not enough
Ritu Moni’s (4/18) first four-wicket haul, the best figures of the tournament so far, was not enough to steer Bangladesh to a historic victory.
It was only the third time the White Ferns had been kept under 100 runs at a World Cup, but it was clear they weren’t going to go down without a fight as Jensen (3/11) and Kasperek (3/23) made amends.
Finding itself at 32 for three at the midway point, Bangladesh’s attempt to lower the asking rate proved costly.
The win for New Zealand means Group A is perfectly set up for a trans-Tasman showdown on Monday, with the winner set to reach the semifinals.
The scores: New Zealand 91 in 18.2 overs (Rachel Priest 25; Ritu Moni 4/18, Salma Khatun 3/7) bt Bangladesh 74 in 19.5 overs (Hayley Jensen 3/11, Leigh Kasperek 3/23).
