Jahanara leads from the front

Jahanara Alam celebrated her debut as Bangladesh Women team's T20I captain with a 2-0 thrashing of Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox's Bazaar yesterday.

The 23-year-old pace bowler from Khulna finished with 3-11, her best T20I bowling figures, in the second and final game which the home side won by eight wickets. Jahanara, who was named captain ahead of the two-match series against Zimbabwe, ripped through the visitor's top-order to erase her previous best of 3-15.

After the early blows, the Zimbabwe Women's team could manage only 69-6 in their share of 20 overs. The home side, who won the opening game at the same venue by 35 runs, ambled to the target of 70 with eight wickets in hand and more than nine overs to spare.

Opener Ayesha Rahman, who hit her maiden T20I fifty in the previous game, struck 28 that contained a couple of sixes, while Shahila Sharmin scored an unbeaten 23 as Bangladesh women raced to victory in 11.5 overs. 

SCORES IN BRIEF

ZIMBABWE WOMEN: 69 for 6 in 20 overs (Mayers 21, Marange 16 not out; Jahanara 3-11, Panna 1-9)

BANGLADESH WOMEN: 70 for 2 in 11.5 overs (Ayasha 28, Shaila 23 not out, Rumana 12 not out; Marange 1-18)

Result: Bangladesh women won by 8 wickets.

Player-of-the-match: Jahanara Alam.