‘Better to return home with something than nothing’

Since the inclusion of cricket in Asian Games, Bangladesh cricket teams never returned home empty-handed, and the women's team have helped retain the tradition by winning a bronze medal in the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou yesterday.

The Tigresses handed a five-wicket defeat to former gold medallists Pakistan, thanks to an all-round display by Shorna Akter, who took three wickets to restrict Pakistan to 64 for nine in 20 overs and then scored an unbeaten 14 to steer Bangladesh to the victory target with five wickets in hand and 10 balls spare.

Though Bangladesh's target was to improve on their two silver medals in the two editions that cricket had been staged previously – in 2010 and 2014 – the third-place finish will come as a consolation as the country's first medals in this edition.

"Every team comes with an aim to win the highest honour. But it is pleasing for us to come back again and rectify the mistakes we made on Sunday (against India). It is better to return home with something than nothing. The whole team is proud and happy," captain Nigar Sultana Joty said after the victory.

Asked whether the team had regrets for not being able to play in third successive final, the Bangladesh captain said, "Of course there is regret because people think of gold after winning silver, but we slipped to the bronze medal match. But more importantly we are not returning home empty-handed and at the back of mind, we feel good that we have won the bronze medal."