High flying Bangladesh suffered the first defeat in their 3rd Group B match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers losing to Thailand by 16 runs under DL method in a rain-marred match at the Harare Sports Club ground in Zimbabwe on Thursday.
Earlier, Bangladesh made a flying start in five-team Group B of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers upsetting Pakistan by three wickets and earned their ever-biggest victory crushing USA by 270 runs, featuring Sharmin Akhter’s first- ever century for Bangladesh in women’s cricket.
In the remaining group match, Bangladesh will play hosts Zimbabwe on November 29.
Replying to Bangladesh’s moderate total of 176 for 8 in 50 overs in the day’s match, the Thai Women’s scored 132 for 2 in 39. 2 overs before the match stopped due to bad light and won the match by DL method.
Opener Sornnarin scored the match highest 69 runs off 113 balls featuring seven fours, another opener Natthakan made 69-ball 37 runs with three boundaries while Nannapat Koncharoenkar and Naruemol Chaiwai remained not out on 14 and 5 runs respectively.
Nahida Akhter and Fahina Khatun of Bangladesh took one wicket each conceding 17 and 32 runs respectively.
Sent in to bat first in the day’s delayed start and rain-interrupted match, Bangladesh Women’s scored moderate 176 runs for 8 in in quota 50 overs against Thai Women’s, featuring a half century by Fargana Hoque.
After departure of first two batters –Bangladesh’s lone centurion Sharmin Akhter (1) and captain Nigar Sultana (1) -- for 14 runs in 6.3 overs, number four batter Fargan Hoque pairing with opener Murshida Khatun contributed 84 runs in the 3rd wicket stand to carry the team total to 98 runs.
Fargana scored 51 runs in 81 balls hitting six boundaries while Murshida made 80-ball 46 runs with the help of five fours.
Besides, Lata Mondal (29), Rumana Ahmed (27) were the other Bangladesh batters reaching double digit while another 12 runs of the innings came from extras.
Nattaya Boochatham made major damage in Bangladesh innings grabbing five wickets for 26 runs.