Visakhapatnam: Alyssa Healy hit her second straight century in the ongoing ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup as defending champions Australia romped to a 10-wicket victory over Bangladesh Women’s team in Visakhapatnam, India.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Sobhana Mostary’s fighting half-century guided Bangladesh Women’s team to 198-9 in their fifth game in the marquee event. However, the mighty Australia made a mockery of it, reaching 202 for no loss in just 24.5 overs. Fresh from her iconic 142 which helped Australia chase down India’s 330 for a highest successful chase in Women’s cricket history, Healy this time smashed a 77-ball 114 with 20 fours. Her opening partner Phoebe Litchfield played a second fiddle to her with 84 off 72, striking 12 fours and one six. Together they tore through Bangladesh bowling to bolster the side’s top position in the point table.
Bangladesh now lost four matches in a row, having won the first game against Pakistan. Bangladesh looked confident about their chance to upset the defending champions, since the spinners got turn and bounce aplenty as evidenced in the performance of the Australian spinners, who bagged six Bangladesh wickets with economical bowling show. But that was not to be as Australian openers made Bangladesh bowlers disarray with calculative aggression right from the start of the chase.
Earlier, Sobhana Mostaty was key in helping the side to push the total toward 200, with her 80-ball 66 not out, studded with nine fours. Opener Rubya Haider Jhilik who made 44, carried the innings for a brief period after losing her opening partner Farzana Haque Pinky for 8 as Australian spinners kept them at bay. She kept the innings steady until offspinner Ashleigh Gardner dismissed her, ending a 41-run partnership between her and Supta.
However, Supta (19) and captain Nigar Sultana Joty (12) were dismissed in quick succession and a collapse followed, raising a prospect of being all out below 150. Sobhana showed resolve as the wickets tumbled around her. She took on the Australian pacers as Bangladesh scored 37 runs in the last five overs. Alana King, Georgia Wareham and Ashleigh Gardner, the three spinners of Australia, shared six wickets amongst them, taking two wickets apiece. Pacer Annabel Sutherland grabbed 2-41 while Megan Schutt picked up one wicket.