Bangladesh women thump Malaysia in Commonwealth Games qualifier

The Bangladesh women's cricket team have handed Malaysia an eight-wicket drubbing in the opening T20 match of the Commonwealth Games qualifiers.

Legbreak Rumana Ahmed (2-4) and debutant seamer Suraiya Azmin (2-7) were the lead tormentors for Malaysia, who managed a measly 49 for nine in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Barring skipper and opener Winifred Duraisingam (12) and Mas Elysa (11), no other Malaysian batters could reach double figures despite playing out their 20-over quota.

In reply, openers Shamima Sultana (28) and Murshida Khatun (14) breezed through the score with a 38-run opening stand. The pair clubbed a six and five boundaries between them.

After both the openers fell in the space of six runs, skipper Nigar Sultana (3) and Fargana Hoque (7) coasted to the win with 72 balls in hand.

Rumana was adjudged Player of the Match for her incisive show. The girls will take on Kenya in the next game on Wednesday.

The top team from a table of five will join seven other nations - England, India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Barbados - in the 22nd Commonwealth event, which will be held in England’s Birmingham from July-August this year.

It will mark the national women’s cricket team’s first entry in the Commonwealth competition, where cricket will be played for just the second time since 1998.