Bangladesh 167 for 3 (Hoque 62, Murshida 54, Sandhu 2-27) beat Pakistan 166 for 9 (Ameen 84*, Nahida 3-26) by seven wickets
A record opening partnership for Bangladesh in women's ODIs set up their series win in the final game of the tour against Pakistan. The right-left combination of Fargana Hoque and Murshida Khatun added 125 for the first wicket, setting Bangladesh on course for their 167-run chase at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.
It took an unbeaten 84 from opener Sidra Ameen for Pakistan to crawl to 166 for 9 in their 50 overs. On a slow surface, Bangladesh employed only six overs of fast bowling from Marufa Akter, operating with spin for the rest of the overs to pin Pakistan down.
Ameen hit only three fours in her knock and finished with a strike rate of 58.74. She added 65 for the opening wicket with Sadaf Shamas (31 off 61 balls) but Pakistan failed to string partnerships in the middle order. While the opening part took 116 balls for their stand, the second-wicket stand between Ameen and Muneeba Ali was worth 28 off 70 balls.
From 93 for 1, Pakistan could never quite find the momentum and finished with a low total. All of the middle-order batters were out for single digits and only Diana Baig - batting at No. 9 and scoring 11 off 9 - scored at a strike rate in excess of 100. Nahida Akter once more was the tormenter-in-chief, finishing with 3 for 26 in ten overs.
Bangladesh's reply was a slow but steady one. Both Hoque and Murshida had strike rates in the fifties but they never let Pakistan in the game. Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu then struck twice in two overs to dismiss the openers. But captain Nigar Sultana once again exuded calmness and finished the chase off in the company of Sobhana Mostary.
It was the third ODI series win for Bangladesh over Pakistan, but the first time in a bilateral series of three matches. Pakistan had won the opening contest before Bangladesh got back with a Super Over win in the second ODI.
Pakistan continue to be second on the ICC Women's Championship table while Bangladesh are placed sixth. But only three points separate the two sides.
