Star batter Suzie Bates top-scored with an unbeaten 61-ball 81 while batting through the innings to set up New Zealand's 71-run mauling of Bangladesh in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Cape Town on Friday. (More Cricket News)
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, New Zealand were well-served by the opening duo of Bates and Be꧟rnadine Bezuidenhout as the two shared a partnership of 77 runs in onཧly nine overs to set the foundation for a strong total. Wicketkeeper Bezuidenhout blazed away to 44 off 26 balls.
New Zealand ended t🌞heir innings at a challenging 189 for thr✨ee in the stipulated 20 overs at the Newlands.
In reply, Bangladesh were r⛄estricted to 118 for eight with Eden Carson (3/18) and Hannah Rowe (2/15) accounting for five wickets between themselves.
In the latter stages of the New Zealand innings, Maddy Green smashed an unbeaten 44 off just 20 balls💞 to prop up her team while adding 82 runs in quick time with the seasoned Bates.
With her knock, Bates became th𒈔e first batter to score 1000 runs in Women's T20 World Cup.
Green found the fence seven times during her blistering knock, while Bates too hit as many boundaries besides 💜striking one maximum.
The other opener, Bez💞﷽uidenhout struck five boundaries.
Skipper Sophie Devine failed to open her account while Amelia 🌠Kerr made 16.
Bowling leg-spin, Fahima Khatun was the most successful bowler for Bangladesh, picking up two wickets for 36 in her full quota of fou🅰r overs.
When their time to bat came, Bangladesh got off to a poor start and lost Shamima Sultana (14) with 19 runs on the board in the third over, the bowler being medium pacer Hannah Roweಌ.
Two overs later, Rowe struck aga🎃in as sಞhe bowled Sobhana Mostary (4).
The early blows put Bangladesh on the back f🦩oot and they could🐽 not recover from that.
Shorna Akter (31), Murshida🅺 Khatun (30) and Shamima Sultana (14) were the only batters to reach double digits.
