The Bangladesh women鈥檚 cricket team awaits an elusive chance to earn a direct qualification in the forthcoming ODI World Cup if they can beat the West Indies in their third and final ODI at Basseterre on Friday.
The match will begin at 12:00am Bangladesh Standard Time (Saturday).聽
Bangladesh made a strong comeback in the second ODI by securing a 60-run victory over the hosts after suffering a nine-wicket thrashing in the first game.
Nigar Sultana Joty delivered a captain鈥檚 knock of 68 to help Bangladesh post 184, followed by left-arm spinner Nahida Akter鈥檚 3-31 to restrict West Indies to 124, ensuring their first win against the Caribbean in any format.
Joty & Co are just one step away from their direct qualification in the ODI World Cup for the first time, which will be held in India later this year.
The top five teams, along with hosts India, will directly qualify in the tournament.聽 Bangladesh have 21 points with one match remaining and are only behind New Zealand due to a lesser run rate in the ICC Women鈥檚 Championship points table.
They will only need to avoid a defeat in the third ODI; even if the match is abandoned, Bangladesh will leapfrog New Zealand, who are currently sixth with 21 points.
However, Joty is not stressing about the bounty of direct qualification; rather, she is focused on winning the three-match series.
鈥業 am not thinking about the equation [World Cup Qualification],鈥� said Joty after the second match.
鈥楾he team turned around like this just a day after losing the first match; this is the most important thing. It will be a great motivation for us when we play the third and final game. We will certainly give our best to win the game.鈥�
In case of a defeat, Bangladesh would have to play the qualifying round with the other five teams鈥擯akistan, West Indies, Ireland, Scotland, and Thailand.
Two teams from the qualifying round will join the top six teams in the World Cup.
