In a high-octane warm-up fixture during the Bangladesh Women tour of Australia at Brisbane, Queensland Women showcased their supreme dominance, securing a comprehensive 72-run victory via the DLS method. The match, truncated to 36 overs per side, delivered non-stop action from the opening delivery, highlighting explosive individual performances alongside dramatic batting collapses.
Queensland Women kicked off their innings with openers Lauren Winfield-Hill and Lucinda Bourke laying a steady foundation. The opening stand yielded 23 runs before Marufa Akter provided Bangladesh Women with their initial breakthrough, bowling Bourke for 7 off 12 balls in the fifth over. Winfield-Hill kept the scoreboard ticking with aggressive intent, stroking 9 crisp boundaries in a quickfire 48 off 37 deliveries. Ritu Moni eventually brought an end to Winfield-Hill’s promising knock in the 11th over, leaving Queensland at 67/2.
What followed next was a blistering 158-run third-wicket partnership between skipper Charli Knott and Grace Harris, which fundamentally shifted the tide of the match. Knott put on a masterclass in power-hitting, smashing 13 fours to construct a thrilling 94 off just 64 balls. At the other end, Harris unleashed total carnage, hammering 7 boundaries and 3 giant sixes in a breathtaking 76 off 50 deliveries. Their brutal assault propelled Queensland beyond the 200-run milestone before Habiba Islam triggered a remarkable order collapse.
Islam bowled Knott for 94 to end the mega-stand at 225/3, and immediately dismissed Annie O’Neil for a golden duck on the very next delivery. Nahida Akter then removed the dangerous Harris for 76, caught by Habiba Islam, leaving the hosts at 229/5. Islam returned to bowl Grace Collins for 10 and had Lily Bassingthwaighte caught by Mostary for 9, finishing with standout figures of 4 for 44 in her 7 overs. Marufa Akter (2/64) claimed her second wicket by dismissing Nicola Hancock (8), while Filippa SueSee was run out for 4.
Ayaka Kato-Stafford remained unbeaten on 5, pushing Queensland to a formidable total of 266/9 in 36 overs. Bangladesh’s additional bowling effort saw Ritu Moni take 1/30 and Nahida Akter take 1/46, while Rabeya Khan (0/46), Shorna Akter (0/15), and Sultana Khatun (0/21) went wicketless.
Chasing a revised target of 269 under DLS calculations, Bangladesh Women got off to a patient start with openers Fargana Hoque and Sarmin Sultana putting together a 37-run opening partnership. Nicola Hancock provided the early spark for Queensland, removing Hoque (16 off 33) and shortly after removing Sultana (28 off 40). Filippa SueSee dealt a major blow by removing skipper Nigar Sultana for a 3-ball duck, leaving Bangladesh reeling at 54/3.
Sharmin Akhter and Sobhana Mostary then mounted a determined recovery, stitching together an impressive 112-run fourth-wicket partnership. Akhter anchored the innings beautifully with a well-crafted 68 off 67 balls (6 fours), while Mostary matched her tempo with a punchy 49 off 54 balls (4 fours, 2 sixes). Just as the duo looked set to mount a serious late assault, Hancock returned to break the stand, getting Mostary caught by Bassingthwaighte.
The lower order failed to keep up with the steep required run rate. Bassingthwaighte dismissed Shorna Akter for 5, and Grace Harris picked up Ritu Moni for 11. A crucial run-out by Annie O’Neil brought an end to Sharmin Akhter’s fine knock of 68 at 195/7. Sultana Khatun (4*) and Nahida Akter (1*) remained undefeated at the end as Bangladesh Women finished their quota at 196/7 in 36 overs.
Nicola Hancock was the pick of the Queensland bowlers with fine figures of 3 for 51. Bassingthwaighte (1/24), SueSee (1/15), and Harris (1/27) kept things extremely tight, while Catherine White (0/20), Charli Knott (0/40), and Kato-Stafford (0/19) provided solid support to secure a dominant victory.
