Bangladesh aim to carry momentum into crucial clash against England

Nigar Sultana Joty stood overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down her face.

In what should have been a celebratory occasion marking her 100th T20I appearance—the first by any Bangladeshi woman—the real joy came not from her personal milestone but from an elusive victory at the T20 World Cup. On Thursday in Sharjah, Bangladesh edged past Scotland by 16 runs, breaking a 10-year winless streak at the tournament.

It wasn't the smoothest of performances. Bangladesh stumbled with the bat after a strong start, and their fielding left much to be desired, including a few costly misses from the captain herself. However, the bowling unit held firm, ensuring a hard-fought win, which Joty later described as a defining moment for women's cricket in Bangladesh.

"We came here wanting to get that first win," Joty had said before the tournament, reflecting on the team's decade-long drought at the event. Now, with the pressure of that burden lifted, Bangladesh turn their attention to a much sterner challenge: a clash against the formidable England side later today.

Confidence high, but challenges ahead

Despite the flaws in their opening performance, Joty remains hopeful that Bangladesh can carry their momentum into today's match. "Winning the first game in a tournament is crucial. It sets the tone," she said. "We're focusing on how we approach the England game. We have a lot to work on, but we want to go match by match."

England, four-time finalists and champions of the inaugural edition, will be unfamiliar territory for Bangladesh. The teams have faced off only three times before, all in 50-over World Cup matches, with England emerging victorious on each occasion. But this Bangladesh side believes they have the spirit and growing belief to challenge the heavyweights.

Sobhana Mostary, Bangladesh's top scorer against Scotland with 36 runs, feels that a win over England could propel the team towards a semi-final spot. "Our confidence is high after that first victory," she noted. "We know the task ahead, but we'll give everything in batting, bowling, and fielding to make it count."

Lessons from Scotland win

For all the optimism, Joty acknowledged there are areas that need sharpening, particularly her own missed chances behind the stumps. "I've got to improve," she admitted. "We've reviewed the game, and we'll take the positives, but there's work to be done before facing England."

Ritu Moni, who was named player of the match for her decisive performance against Scotland, also expressed her optimism. "It feels good to win, especially after our preparation. Everyone's in high spirits, and we're aiming for something special against England."

Bangladesh's World Cup journey continues with two more group matches in Sharjah before they move on to face South Africa in Dubai. Originally scheduled to take place in Bangladesh, the tournament was relocated to the UAE. Still, Joty and her teammates are hopeful of receiving strong support, much like they did in their opener.

"We were heartbroken when the venue was changed, as we'd imagined playing at home in front of our crowd," Joty admitted. "But the fans who turned up here were amazing. It felt like a home game."