Hamshire bowl

T20 World Cup: A brilliant bowling effort led by skipper Fatima Sana (2-18) and some superlative fielding effort helped Pakistan restrict Bangladesh to a below-par 123/6 in a must-win Group A clash in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton on Saturday.

Skipper Fatima Sana, who claimed a three-fer and scored a half-century in their previous match, struck a double-blow in the second over as Bangladesh took three wickets in the Power-play from which they did not recover despite fighting efforts by captain Nigar Sultana (36 off 38, 5x4) and Shorna Akter (39 not out off 22, 5x4), and managed only a modest total.

After Nigar Sultana elected to bat first on what looks like a good batting wicket, the Pakistan bowlers applied early pressure and had their opponents in a spot of bother at 23/3 at the end of the Power-play, Fatima Sana started the carnage for Pakistan by claiming the wickets of Dilara Akter (5) and Sharmin Akhter (0) in the second and fifth ball of her first over, the second of the innings. Juairiya Ferdous (7) fell to Tasmia Rubab, and Bangladesh were in real trouble.