Tigresses pay the price for poor Powerplay batting

Bangladesh women's cricket team had to pay a heavy price for losing too many wickets in the Powerplay, succumbing to a 47-run defeat in the second WT20I against Ireland yesterday and subsequently suffering their first ever series defeat against the Irish side in the shortest format.

Chasing 135, the Tigresses lost four wickets in the Powerplay for just 22 runs. Sharmin Akhter then showed some fight in her 38-run knock, but it proved insufficient as the hosts got bowled out for 87 in 17.1 overs to go 2-0 down in the three-match series.

In comparison, Ireland, opting to bat first, put up 34 runs for the loss of one wicket in the Powerplay. Later, riding on decent efforts from Laura Delany (35) and Orla Prendergast (32), who also took 3-13 and was named player-of-the-match for her all-round performance, they posted 134-5, which proved to be a winning total.

"They [Ireland] lost only one wicket in the first six overs and scored 35 [34] runs. We lost four wickets in the first six overs. I think we lost the contest here," Bangladesh women's team's bowling coach Robiul Islam Shiblu told reporters after the match.

"Their pacers bowled slowly in this wicket. They used leg-cutters and off-cutters and got success. In the second innings, the ball also turned. I think we couldn't use the wicket," he added.

Meanwhile, Ireland skipper Gaby Lewis was elated with her team's triumph and expressed desire to make it 3-0.

"I think there is a real belief in the squad. Especially after the ODI series and those defeats to turn around in the T20 series… Hopefully we will take the series 3-0 this Monday."