The West Indies beat Bangladesh at Lahore to keep their hopes of qualification for the 2025 Women’s World Cup alive.
Coming into Match 11 of the Qualifier, Bangladesh – unbeaten in the tournament until that point – had as good as qualified for the World Cup, while the West Indies were on the brink of being eliminated from the race.
At Lahore, however, the West Indies restricted Bangladesh to 227-9 and chased the target with three wickets and four overs in hand to stay in the hunt. Bangladesh are still favourites to finish in the top two and qualify – they will be at the top of the table unless Pakistan beat Thailand by a huge margin – but they will have to wait.
Read: How West Indies can avoid missing first World Cup since 2000
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Match 11, Bangladesh Women vs West Indies Women
At 134-1 in the 28th over, Bangladesh seemed set for 250. At this point, Fargana Haque (42) hit one back to Aaliyah Alleyne (4-39). Two balls later, Alleyne bowled Sharmin Akhtar (67). The middle order caved in as Hayley Matthews (2-42) and Afy Fletcher (2-43) chipped in with key strikes. Had Nahida Akter (25) and Rabeya Khan (23 not out in 20 balls) not put on 31 for the ninth wicket, things could have been worse.
In response, Qiana Joseph (31) and Shemaine Campbelle (24) took the West Indies to 60-1 before falling in quick succession. Stafanie Taylor (36) and Matthews (33) then put on 66, but Marufa Akter (2-38) managed to get both.
This time Chinelle Henry (51 not out in 48 balls) stood firm, dominating a 50-run stand with Shabika Gajnabi (20), who fell with 31 runs still to be made. Running out of partners, Henry now hit Rabeya for four and six. Once she ran a single, Alleyne put the ball away for four.
By the time Alleyne – she would be named the Player of the Match – fell, the West Indies had levelled the scores. Fletcher then took the winning single off Nahida.
How can West Indies still qualify for the World Cup?
With four points from four games (the same as Scotland), the most the West Indies can reach now is six, something Bangladesh and Pakistan have already achieved.
Their best bet lies in Thailand beating Pakistan. If that happens, the two Asian teams will stay on six – and will face each other in the last match.
