Rubya slams unbeaten half-ton as Bangladesh crush Pakistan by seven wickets in Women's World Cup

Colombo, Oct 2 (PTI) An unbeaten half-century from Rubya Haider and her match-winning partnership with skipper Nigar Sultana, backed by fine bowling from young pacer Marufa Akter, helped Bangladesh thrash an out-of-depth Pakistan by seven wickets in their ICC Women's World Cup match here on Thursday.

Rubya struck a 77-ball unbeaten 54 (4x8) and shared a 62-run partnership with skipper Sultana (23 off 44 balls) for the third wicket as Bangladesh overhauled the target of 130 with 113 balls to spare, reaching 131 for 3 in 31.1 overs.

Rubya played with caution initially after Bangladesh lost opener Fargana Hoque and Sharmin Akhter early but once she got the feel of the pitch, the 28-year-old hit a flurry of boundaries to make the chase look easy.

She belted three boundaries in the 19th over bowled by veteran Pakistan left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu which changed the complexion of the game as Bangladesh went into overdrive. Bangladesh were off to a slow start as they were 23 for one after the 10th over.

However, it was disciplined bowling by the Bangladesh bowlers from the likes of young pacer Marufa Akter (2/31), veteran spinner Nahida Akter (2/19) and Shorna Akter (3/5) which set up the match for their team as Pakistan were bowled out for 129 in 38.3 overs.

It was Marufa who triggered Pakistan's collapse, with the 20-year-old right-arm pacer giving the opponents a massive jolt in the opening over by dismissing opener Omaima Sohail and batting stalwart Sidra Amin for first-ball ducks. Pakistan were 2/2 then.

Slow left-arm bowling stalwart Nahida Akter (2/19) then piled more pressure on Pakistan by sending opener Muneeba Ali (17) and Rameen Shamim (23) back in quick succession just after the powerplay overs, thus thwarting the pair's hopes of building a partnership.

Pakistan were in dire straits at 41/2 after 10 overs, and Marufa was the one who made it happen.

Playing in her 27th WODI, she took Pakistan completely by surprise with the new ball.

She first pitched a full-length inswinging delivery just outside off-stump to rattle Omaima Sohail's leg stump, and, on the very next ball, had the prized wicket of batting stalwart Sidra Amin. The in-form Pakistani batter went for a drive but got beaten by the big inswing to lose her leg stump.

Pakistan's other opener Muneeba Ali looked to be gathering her wits following the quick dismissals but after slamming two boundaries in the fourth over off right-arm spinner Nishita Akter Nishi, she too fell as the team slumped to 44/3.

Her partner, Rameen Shamim with whom she had built a 42-run stand, too departed two overs later as Pakistan were 47/4 in the 14th over.

The real spike in run-rate never happened as Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals with Bangladesh tactically rotating their bowlers to keep the opponents clueless.

Pakistan, whose run-rate hardly ever crossed four runs per over, touched the 100-run mark in the 30th over and they could manage just 14 boundaries in their innings.

Teenage leg-spinner Shorna Akter wiped out the tail as Pakistan's innings wound up in 38.3 overs. PTI AM AM PDS PDS