Bangladesh women suffer narrow defeat in first T20I against Ireland

Bangladesh women have begun their tour of Ireland with a six-run defeat in a rain-truncated Twenty20 match.

After a rain-delayed start reduced the game to a 10 overs a side, Bangladesh asked the hosts to bat first in Bready on Monday.

Offspinner Khadija Tul Kubra returned 3-5 from two overs - her career-best haul - as Ireland stuttered to 54-8.

Opener Clare Shillington (26) was the only batsman to reach double figures for Ireland.

Bangladesh began their chase in ideal fashion as opener Ayesha Rahman (8) cracked a boundary off the first ball. But the ball never reached the ropes again in the rest of the innings.

Farzana Hoque (24), who was the only batsman for Bangladesh to reach a two-digit score, held on as things boiled down to the visitors needing 10 from the final over off teenager Lucy O'Reilly

The 16-year-old seamer gave away just three runs and took two wickets to close down the chase with some impressive death bowling.

The win put Ireland 1-0 ahead of Bangladesh in the two-match series, which will be followed by a two ODIs.

Brief scores:

Ireland: 54-8 in 10 overs (Shillington 26, Lewis 4, Kavanagh 7, Gray 1, Waldron 7, Joyce 1, Garth 6*, Delany 2, Kenealy 0; Jahanara 0-4, Panna 1-7, Ritu Moni 1-11, Nahida 0-9, Fahima 1-5, Rumana 1-13, Kubra 3-5)

Bangladesh: 48-6 in 10 overs (Ayasha 8, Lata 0, Fargana 24, Sultana 7, Rumana 5, Ritu 0, Fahima 0*, Jahanara 2*; Kenealy 0-5, O'Reilly 2-5, Garth 1-10, Joyce 1-4, Metcalfe 0-12, Lewis 0-12)

Result: Ireland win by six runs.

Series: Ireland 1-0 Bangladesh