Bangladesh national women’s team celebrating their 3-0 win over Zimbabwe in the three-match one-day series on November 15 at the Bulawayo Stadium.
Rumana Ahmed’s unbeaten half-century and Salma Khatun’s late blitz gave Bangladesh women’s team a winning start in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier as they defeated their Pakistani counterparts by three wickets in their Group B match at the Old Hararians in Harare on Sunday.
Rumana made 50 off 44 balls while Salma scored 18 off 13 balls to take Bangladesh to 202-7 in 49.4 overs.
Nashra Sandhu and Omaima Sohail took two wickets each for Pakistan.
Earlier, Nida Dar’s 87 off 111 balls and Aliya Riaz’s 61 off 82 balls not out took Pakistan to 201-7 after they were sent to bat by Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana.
Nahida Akter and Ritu Moni claimed two wickets each for Bangladesh.
Chasing 208, Bangladesh took a slow but steady approach as they reached 80-2 after 25 overs.
But the Bangladesh innings hit a lull when Fargana Hoque departed after scoring a dogged 45 off 90 balls and newly appointed skipper Nigar made things worse with four off 26 balls.
Rumana and Ritu Moni then brought the chase back on track with a 61-run stand off 59 balls before the latter was bowled Fatima Sana after making 33 off 37 balls.
Omaima then dismissed Lata Mandal and Fahima Khatun for ducks in consecutive deliveries to reduce Bangladesh to 160-7.
The match seemed to be slipping away from Bangladesh when they needed 35 off the last three overs before Rumana hit a hat-trick of fours off Omaima in the 48th over, which cost Pakistan 18 runs.
The batters ran three doubles in the 49th and Salma hit a four to take 12 runs off Diana Baig in the penultimate over.
Bangladesh needed five runs in the final over, which the batters completed with two balls to spare.
Earlier, Bangladesh had reduced Pakistan to 49-5 inside 18 overs, but a 137-run partnership between Nida and Aliya gave Pakistan a fighting total, which proved insufficient in the end.
Bangladesh will play the next match against the USA on Tuesday.
