Lankans lose as New Zealand Women seal berth in 2016 World T20

Thursday, 3 April 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

New Zealand Women eased to six-wicket win against Sri Lanka Women in the qualification play-off in Sylhet, to book their place in the 2016

Women’s World Twenty20. The teams that finish in the top six at this World T20 automatically qualify for the next edition of the tournament; the four semi-finalists - Australia, South Africa, England and West Indies - are already through, while New Zealand take the fifth spot. India and Pakistan will play for the final berth later in the day. The teams that don’t secure qualification here have to compete in a separate qualifying tournament, to make it to the 2016 showpiece event. New Zealand chased down 132 without too much fuss to seal their spot. The chase was set up by two innings of 40-odd from opener Suzie Bates and No. 5 Rachel Priest, who remained unbeaten. Both batsmen were able to score quickly too, with Bates’ 45 coming off 31 balls, and Priest’s 42 off 32. Sri Lanka’s total of 131 for 7 was set up in similar manner, by knocks off 45 off 35 from Yasoda Mendis and 46 off 44 by Chamari Atapattu. However, New Zealand handled Sri Lanka’s bowlers even better, to register the vital victory. Chief Scores: New Zealand Women 135 for 4 (Bates 45, Priest 42*) beat Sri Lanka Women 131 for 7 (Atapattu 46, Mendis 45) by six wickets.

Bangladesh Women pull off heist against SL

Bangladesh Women first scored their highest Twenty20 total, then upended Sri Lanka’s Women’s steadily progressing chase, to steal a three-run win – their first in the World T20. This was the two teams’ last match of the tournament, and Bangladesh chose to bat. They tended to lose wickets in pairs all through the innings, but with Rumana Ahmed – who came in the seventh over – holding up one end in a brisk, unbeaten innings of 41, they were able to make their way to their record total. However, when Sri Lanka were 67 for 2 and needed just about a run a ball, it looked like even that would not be enough. That’s when the set Yasoda Mendis was run out, and Bangladesh didn’t let the opening go to waste. Medium pacer Panna Ghosh struck twice in the 15th over, and with the required rate rising, Bangladesh applied the squeeze, striking in every over from the 18th onwards. Sri Lanka managed only two boundaries in these last overs, and Bangladesh held their nerve to pull off the heist. Chief Scores: Bangladesh Women 115 for 9 (Rumana 41) beat Sri Lanka Women 112 for 9 (Mendis 33, Ghosh 3-18) by three runs.