 "Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Pakistan, Bangladesh off to winning starts as tournament gets underway in Sharjah")
Pakistan and Bangladesh were off to winning starts as the ninth edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup got underway on Thursday in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Both teams opted to bat and posted totals just short of the 120-mark, and later produced clinical bowling performances to restrict their opponents well short of the target and walk away with two points to their name.
Pakistan bowlers fired in unison to guide their team to a memorable 31-run win over Sri Lanka in their low-scoring opening match, the evening fixture of the Thursday double-header in Sharjah.
Batting first, Pakistan were bowled out for 116 in exactly 20 overs. In reply, Sri Lanka were stopped at 85 for nine.
Skipper and Player of the Match Fatima Sana top-scored for Pakistan with 30 off 20 balls, while her Sri Lankan counterpart Chamari Athapaththu (3/18), Sugandika Kumari (3/19) and Udeshika Prabodhani (3/20) shared nine wickets between them.
Quick runs with the bat, crucial wickets with the ball – Fatima Sana led by example in her first Women's #T20WorldCup match as captain 👏
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 3, 2024
She wins the @aramco POTM award 🎖️ pic.twitter.com/jNuauLm6Ul
Defending a small total, left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal led the way for Pakistan with excellent figures of 3/17 in four overs, while there were two wickets apiece for Omaima Sohail (2/17), Nashra Sandhu (2/15) and captain Sana (2/10).
Opting to bat after winning the toss, Pakistan were off to a disastrous start and lost three wickets with just 32 runs on the board in the sixth over.
Sri Lanka were on top of the game as the situation became worse for Pakistan with the fall of their fourth wicket in the form of Omaima Sohail (18 off 19 balls) in the 10th over.
At the halfway stage of their innings, Pakistan were in all sorts of trouble with the score reading an ordinary 57 for the loss of four wickets.
Left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari was the wrecker-in-chief in the early stages of the Pakistan innings, the seasoned campaigner accounting for the wickets of openers Muneeba Ali (11 off 14 balls) and Gull Feroza (2 off 4 balls).
At the end though, Pakistan had the last laugh.
Brief scores: Pakistan: — in 20 overs (Fatima Sana 30; Chamari Athapaththu 3/18, Sugandika Kumari 3/19, Udeshika Prabodhani 3/20) Sri Lanka: 85/9 in 20 overs (Nilakshi de Silva 22; Sadia Iqbal 3/17).
Bangladesh defeat Scotland
Bangladesh displayed superb team effort to beat Scotland by 16 runs in the opening match of the Women’s T20 World Cup that began on Thursday afternoon.
Opting to bat, Bangladesh posted 119 for seven, riding on Sobhana Mostary’s 36 off 38 balls and opener Shathi Rani’s 29.
Skipper Nigar Sultana made a run-a-ball 18, while Fahima Khatun remained unbeaten on 10 off five balls.
A deserved win in her 100th T20I 🙌
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 3, 2024
An emotional Nigar Sultana Joty after Bangladesh's win on the opening day of the Women's #T20WorldCup 2024.#WhateverItTakes #BANvSCO pic.twitter.com/uYmDpBuVo8
Right-arm spinner Saskia Horley was the pick of the Scotland bowlers, scalping three wickets for 13 runs from her two overs.
Kathryn Bryce (1/23), Olivia Bell (1/23) and Katherine Fraser (1/23) also picked up one wicket apiece.
Scotland wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Bryce tried her best to get her side over the line with an unbeaten knock of 49 off 52 balls in the chase, but she didn’t get enough support from her teammates as her side could only manage 103 for seven in their allotted 20 overs.
Scotland kept losing wickets at regular intervals as Bangladesh bowlers tightened their grip on the opposition batters.
Besides Bryce, only two Scotland batters managed double-digit scores — skipper Kathryn Bryce (11) and Priyanaz Chatterji (11).
Medium pacer Ritu Moni shone for Bangladesh with the ball with figures of 2/15 in her four overs.
Marufa Akter (1/17), Nahida Akter (1/19), Fahima Khatun (1/21) and Rabeya Khan (1/20) also chipped in with wickets for Bangladesh.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh: 119 for 7 in 20 overs (Sobhana Mostary 36, Shathi Rani 29; Saskia Horley 3/13).
Scotland: 103 for 7 in 20 overs (Sarah Bryce 49 not out; Ritu Moni 2/15).
With PTI inputs
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
