Captain Nigar Sultana Joty and vice-captain Nahida Akter guided Bangladesh women鈥檚 team to a historic 60-run victory over the West Indies in the second ODI, to level the three-match series at the Warner Park in St. Kitts on Tuesday.
Left-arm spinner Nahida was the main architect in dismantling the West Indies batting line-up as they were restricted to 124 in 35 overs while chasing 185.
This is Bangladesh鈥檚 first win against the West Indies in any format and they are one step closer to secure direct qualification for the ODI World Cup for the first time, which will be held in India later this year.
They will only have to avoid defeat in the third ODI to leapfrog New Zealand鈥攚ho are currently sixth with 21 points鈥攊n the ICC Women鈥檚 Championship point table.
Bangladesh also have 21 points with one match remaining and are only behind New Zealand due to a lesser run rate.
The top five teams and the host, India will qualify directly for the World Cup. The bottom four teams, along with two other teams of the highest rank, will have to fight in a qualifier for the remaining two spots.
After losing the first match by nine wickets despite having 198 runs on the board, Bangladesh again found themselves in a spot of bother when they lost three wickets for 56 runs.
However, Joty, coming in at four, helped them to set a fighting total with an innings of 68 runs from 120 balls.
She added 51 runs for the fourth wicket with Sobhana Mostary and was the eighth batter to be dismissed in the innings.
Sobhana made 23 off 32 while Shorna Akter also played a handy knock of 21 runs off 29 balls.
Defending the total, Bangladesh kept striking at regular intervals as they had the Caribbean at 85-8 at the halfway point of the innings, eventually getting all out.
Nahida took three鈥攊ncluding two of the top three鈥攆or 31 runs. Rabeya Khan and Fahima Khatun鈥攖wo leg spinners鈥攁lso took two each, while pacer Marufa Akter also grabbed two.
Joty later said that they had the confidence despite having a moderate total.
鈥楩irst of all, I think the team had the belief,鈥� Joty said after the match. 鈥楾hough the total was much less. In this type of wicket, if you don鈥檛 score more than 200, then the job becomes very difficult for the bowlers.鈥�
鈥楤ut before taking the field, I said that we should鈥檝e kept the belief. Because if we could bowl in the right spot and take wickets timely according to the plan, then it [win] was possible,鈥� added Joty.
Joty also mentioned that she had to bat out of her character to settle down.
鈥楴ow it feels that those runs were very important for the team, and I鈥檓 very, very happy to contribute to my team,鈥� said the Bangladesh captain.
Giving credit to every teammate for their efforts, she also said that the momentum from the win would help them in the next match.
鈥楾he most important thing was how the team bounced back a day after the defeat in the first match. This will work for us. Two points were important. Momentum is very important. We will try to win the next one, and then we will win the series,鈥� she added.
