Bangladesh women are inching closer towards direct qualification for the ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025 in India as they registered their maiden win in the format against the West Indies in Basseterre on Tuesday, January 21 to level the three-match series. Bangladesh didn't help their cause after getting folded for another sub-190 odd score but the bowlers were up to the task and defended a relatively low score to take the series to the decider on Friday.
Four batters got into double figures for the West Indies but only one of them got past 20. The two Akters - Marufa and Nahida - while being ably supported by Rabeya Khan and Fahima Khatun triggered a massive collapse for the hosts as Bangladesh ended up winning by 60 runs despite having just 184 runs on the board.
The win helped Bangladesh move to the seventh spot on the points table in the ICC ODI Championship and as it stands, the Nigar Sultana side is just one step away from making it directly to the ODI World Cup in India later this year. Hosts and seven other teams will qualify for the World Cup and one more win should seal the deal for Bangladesh.
The foundation of the first-ever win over the West Indies for Bangladesh was laid by captain Sultana, who was the only batter from either side to smash a half-century. Sultana played really cautiously but held one end up. There were a few starts from Fargana Hoque and Sobhana Mostary but none of them was able to convert it into a big one.
Karishma Ramharack was the pick of the bowlers for the West Indies, taking 4/33 as West Indies shot Bangladesh out for 185. Having chased down 199 without breaking a sweat in the series opener, the hosts would have fancied their chances to seal the series but it wasn't to be.