Lahore: South Africa made a spectacular comeback to beat Bangladesh by three wickets in a thrilling Women’s World Cup match on Monday, owing to Nadine de Klerk’s calm finishing.
South Africa was in big difficulty at 78 for five in the 23rd over, with a hard goal of 233. But senior all-rounders Marizanne Kapp (56 runs off 71 balls) and Chloe Tryon (62 runs off 69 balls) put together a crucial 85-run stand for the sixth wicket, which gave the chase new energy.
“The partnership was very important. Kapp commented after the match, “We just wanted to take it one over at a time.”
After they were let go, Nadine de Klerk stayed unbeaten on 37 runs off 29 balls. Shorna Akter dropped her at long-off in the penultimate over. She won the game with a four and a six in the last over, finishing the chase with three balls to spare.
“I just tried to stay calm and support my teammates,” de Klerk added. Earlier in the tournament, she had also hit a match-winning knock against India.
Bangladesh’s best moments in the innings:
The home team had a hard time at first. Openers Fargana Hoque (30 off 76) and Rubya Haider (25 off 52) took 16 overs to get to 50. Sharmin Akhter (50 off 77), captain Nigar Sultana (32 off 42), and 18-year-old Shorna Akter*’s blazing 35-ball 51 helped the innings pick up speed and brought Bangladesh to 232 for six.
Bangladesh’s bowling was good at first, though. Nahida Akter, a left-arm spinner, bowled Tazmin Brits for a golden duck. Rabeya Khan and Fahima Khatun, both leg-spinners, made important hits to bring South Africa down to 78 for five.
South Africa’s chase: The top of South Africa’s order fell apart, with Laura Wolvaardt (31 off 56) and Anneke Bosch (28 off 35) putting together a 55-run partnership before being taken out in rapid succession. But Kapp, Tryon, and de Klerk’s expertise helped South Africa finish a spectacular run chase under pressure.
The win shows that South Africa has a battling spirit and makes them a strong contender in the competition. Bangladesh may also be proud of Shorna Akter’s brave innings.