Bangladesh Women clinched a nail-biting two-wicket victory over Ireland Women in the seventh match of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2025, held at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday, April 13. Ritu Moni’s heroic knock and Nigar Sultana Joty’s gritty inning propelled Bangladesh to a dramatic two-wicket win over Ireland, chasing 236, as they clinched their second successive victory in the ICC Women’s CWC 2025 Qualifier.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Ireland Women posted 235/8 in their allotted 50 overs, thanks to a steady middle-order performance. Laura Delany top-scored with a well-composed 63 off 75 deliveries, which included six fours. Amy Hunter contributed 33 runs while Orla Prendergast chipped in with 41. Ireland’s innings had a solid foundation, although they lost opener Sarah Forbes early for just 4, run out by Nahida Akter in the fourth over. Gaby Lewis and Amy Hunter then stitched together a 50-run partnership before both fell in quick succession. Delany took charge and guided the team past the 180-run mark, supported by useful cameos from Leah Paul (19) and Coulter Reilly (10). Arlene Kelly remained unbeaten on 24 off just 17 balls, helping Ireland reach a defendable 235.
Bangladesh’s bowling was economical and disciplined, with Rabeya Khan emerging as the pick of the bowlers. The leg-spinner returned with figures of 3/39 in 10 overs. Fahima Khatun also picked up two wickets, including the vital one of Delany. Jannatul Ferdus and Nahida Akter contributed with one wicket each, while Marufa Akter maintained the pressure with her tight spells.
In reply, Bangladesh got off to a shaky start, losing two wickets with just two runs on the board. Opener Ishma Tanjim (2) and Fargana Hoque (0) departed early to put the side under pressure. However, a cautious 54-run partnership between Sharmin Akhter (24) and Nigar Sultana (51) steadied the innings. Nigar, the Bangladesh skipper, played a responsible knock, hitting six boundaries during her 68-ball stay.
The chase witnessed multiple hiccups with Ireland picking wickets at regular intervals. At 186/8, Ireland seemed to be in control, but an unbeaten 54-run ninth-wicket partnership between Ritu Moni (67) and Nahida Akter (18) turned the tide in Bangladesh’s favour. Ritu Moni's match-winning knock came off just 61 balls and included six fours and a six. Her calm and composed innings under pressure guided the team home with eight balls to spare.
Arlene Kelly was the most successful bowler for Ireland, taking 2/32 in her 10 overs. Orla Prendergast, Jane Maguire, Ava Canning, and Cara Murray chipped in with one wicket each. Bangladesh’s victory not only marked their highest successful chase in ODIs but also solidified their position at the top of the Women’s World Cup Qualifier points table.
Earlier in the day, Scotland secured a convincing 58-run win over Thailand, marking their second victory in the tournament. Scotland scored 206 runs, with Kathryn Bryce leading the charge with a solid 60 runs, while Megan McColl contributed 57 runs. The duo's efforts helped Scotland set a competitive total despite a lower-order collapse.
In response, Thailand struggled to keep up with the required run rate, managing only 148 runs. Natthakan Chantham was the standout performer for Thailand, scoring 63 runs, but her efforts were not enough to secure a win as the Scottish bowlers dismantled the rest of the batting order. Rachel Slater and Abtaha Maqsood were particularly effective, taking three wickets each.
As the tournament progresses, Bangladesh now sits level on four points with Pakistan and Scotland but leads on net run-rate, while Ireland finds itself at the bottom of the table without a win. This thrilling encounter showcased the resilience of the Bangladesh team, especially Ritu Moni, who was awarded Player of the Match for her crucial innings.
Looking ahead, Bangladesh will aim to maintain their momentum as they prepare for their next match against Scotland, while Ireland will need to regroup and find a way to turn their fortunes around in the remaining matches of the qualifiers.
