Bronze For Pakistan Women After 31-Run Win Over Bangladesh At Asian Games

Pakistan women bagged a bronze medal after beating Bangladesh in the third-place clash by 31 runs at the Korogi Sports Park on Tuesday. In a rematch of the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games bronze medal playoff, the Women in Green this time avenged the medal they conceded to the fellow Asian side with an impressive all-round performance. Led by strong outings from captain Fatima Sana and off-spinner Umm-e-Hani, the Women in Green defended 145 after restricting Bangladesh to 114 in 20 overs to register an impressive win and take their third women's cricket medal after winning gold in the 2010 and 2014 editions.

Pakistan came into this clash after losing to Sri Lanka in the semifinal, while the Nigar Sultana's Bangladeshi side went down to India in the other semifinal as the two clashed for the bronze.

Captain Sana stood up once again as she this time made a strong 45 from 30 balls with the bat after the Women in Green lost wickets in a heap. Nahida Akter, Shorna Akter and Ritu Moni picked two wickets each as Bangladesh had a strong middle phase before Sana took over to post a decent total.

Bangladesh were in early trouble as they lost three wickets for just 20 in 4.1 overs. Nigar Sultana and Sharmin Akhter put up a fight; however, they could not keep up with the required rate and could only reduce the defeat margin as they lost the bronze that they won after beating Pakistan last time in the third-place fight.

Wicketkeeper-opener Gull Feroza and Shawaal Zulfiqar gave a decent start to the innings with their 46-run stand for the opening wicket, although the latter struggled with the scoring rate having made 17 from 27 balls, while Feroza scored a 23-ball 31.

The Bangladeshi side stormed back with regular wickets as they sent down Pakistan from 46/0 to 67/5 with Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter, Ritu Moni and Akter Meghla doing the damage.

However, Sana came to the rescue yet again as she partnered for a 67-run stand for the sixth wicket with Aliya Riaz, who also made 25 from 22 deliveries. The skipper saw Pakistan to 145, giving them a strong chance to defend the total.

And the bowlers backed them well, with off-spinner Hani taking three wickets, including two of the first three to plot Bangladesh's downfall. She removed Juairiya Ferdous and Sobhana Mostary as Sultana was left to do the tough job of keeping with the run rate and keeping wickets in hand.

Sharmin partnered well as the duo made 47 for the fourth wicket; however, their dwindling hopes took a bigger hit when Sultana was dismissed for 25 in the 14th over. Sharmim carried on but hardly found partners and the right gear, as Shorna Akter (six), Ritu Moni (three), Rabeya Khan (four) and Nahida Akter (10) could hardly put up a fight too. In the end, Bangladesh fell way short of the 146-run target.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 145/8 (Fatima Sana 45 from 30 balls, Gull Feroza 31 from 23 balls; Nahida Akter 2-21, Shorna Akter 2-6) beat Bangladesh (Sharmin Akhter 46* from 45 balls, Nigar Sultana 25 from 30 balls; Umm-e-Hani 3-10, Ayesha Zafar 1-10) by 31 runs

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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