BSS, Dhaka :
Bangladesh Blue came up with yet another stellar performance as they romped to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Bangladesh Green in the final of the Bangabandhu 9th Bangladesh Games women’s cricket discipline at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Friday.
In doing so, they created a history by becoming the champions of Bangladesh Games in which cricket was introduced for the first time.
Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) secretary general Syed Shahed Reza distributed the medals as the chief guest. BOA vice-president Bashir Al Mamum, BCB director Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel and Sylhet District Sports Association’s general secretary Mahiuddin Ahmed Selim were present as special guests.
The BCB formed three teams with the players of Bangladesh national women’s team and Under-19 team to take part in the maiden cricket event. While Blue won the gold, Green, the runners-up acquired silver and Red, the other team of the event obtained bronze.
“The medal for the cricket discipline was distributed already,” Bashir Al Mamun told the BSS. “Everything like the design of the medal, the number of players for cricket discipline was planned one year ago. Just the format was T20 but it was turned out to be 50-over format as Bangladesh women will play a one-day series against South Africa later this month.”
Blue indeed stayed unbeaten on their way to clinch the gold. Bangladesh Blue won the first game against Bangladesh Red by 10 wickets thanks to left-arm pacer Fariha Trishna’s 6-14 while they came on top over Green in the second game, crushing them by nine wickets with off-spinner Mumta Hena claiming 4-22.
Green moved to the final, beating Red by six wickets and looked determined to take the revenge of their group phase defeat in the big game against Blue.
However that was not to be as Blue came up with excellent bowling performance for one last time in the most crucial game.
Pacer Jahanara Alam (3-15) and Mumta Hena (3-15) snapped up three wickets apiece to help Blue bundle Green out for 72 runs in 35.6 overs. Their batters then toiled little to reach the target with 74-2 in 18.2 overs.
Opener Shamima Sultana was the highest-scorer with 31 while Fargana Haque made 28 not out.
Blue though lost their opener Murshida Khatun (9) cheaply, the second wicket partnership between Shamima and Fargana took the side on the verge of the victory.
