Bangladesh edged past Ireland in a nerve-racking finish to seal their second consecutive win at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier, thanks to a stunning display of grit and composure from Ritu Moni.
Chasing 236, Bangladesh found themselves in deep trouble early on, with Ireland striking at regular intervals to derail their innings. Reduced to 2/2 within the first few overs, the chase looked in jeopardy. But skipper Nigar Sultana Joty led the fightback with a vital half-century, and Moni’s unbeaten 67 off 61 deliveries eventually sealed a dramatic two-wicket win in Lahore.
Ireland, having opted to bat first, suffered an early setback when opener Sarah Forbes was run out in the fourth over. Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter then added 50 valuable runs to steady the innings. Their partnership was broken by a brilliant caught-and-bowled effort from Jannatul Ferdus, followed by another run-out that dismissed Hunter.
Orla Prendergast and captain Laura Delany revived the innings with a well-crafted 72-run stand—the highest of the match for Ireland. Prendergast fell for 43 after being trapped LBW by Rabeya Khan, while Delany top-scored with a composed 63 off 75 balls before being stumped by Fahima Khatun.
Late contributions from the lower order helped Ireland reach a competitive total of 235/8. Rabeya Khan (3 wickets) and Fahima Khatun (2 wickets) were the pick of the bowlers for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s reply got off to a disastrous start, with Prendergast removing both openers cheaply. A steady 52-run stand between Sharmin Akhter and Joty offered some stability, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.
Joty’s calm 51 from 68 deliveries kept Bangladesh in the contest, but it was Ritu Moni’s heroics at the tail that turned the tide. Coming in at a precarious moment, Moni held her nerve and built a match-winning 54-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Nahida Akter (18*), guiding Bangladesh to their highest successful chase in Women’s ODIs.
With three losses in as many games, Ireland have now been eliminated from the tournament.
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
