Bowling variation scripts our 1st win against India: Nigar Sultana

BSS, Dhaka :
Bangladesh Women’s Cricket team Captain Nigar Sultana credited the variation in bowling for their maiden victory against India in the ODI format on Sunday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in the city’s Mirpur.

India ruled the previous five matches between the two sides in emphatic fashion but yesterday, Bangladesh had the upper-hand over the mighty opponents due to the bowling variation.
In the rain-hit three-match ODI series opener, that was reduced to 44 overs, Bangladesh were bowled out for 152 and India’s target on DLS was set 154 in 44 overs. The batting line up that was bolstered by some of the best batters of the world was believed to make the win a cake-walk but Bangladesh astonishingly ruled them right from the words go.

“We thought we were short by 30 runs. It was the middle order and lower order runs that helped,” Nigar Sultana said after the match. “We wanted to bowl them out inside 120. Our bowling was brilliant. Exceptional fielding too. We are proud. Our plan was to get early wickets. We just wanted to execute our plans. I’m very much happy that we have every kind of bowler. Marufa Akter is very talented, young and fresh, she makes my job easier. She doesn’t think too much and just bowls according to plans.”

Even though the spinners did the job well, it was pacer Marufa Akter who brought the early breakthrough to put pressure on India. She eventually finished with her career-best 4-29 and rightly was adjudged Player of the Match.

“Firstly, our batters did well in these conditions. My target was to hit some good lengths, so I can do something useful for the team,” Marufa said.
“Since I did well at the start with the new ball, the onus was on me to do finish well with the old ball. All the seniors in the team support me and love me, maybe that’s why I did well today.”