Ireland And Bangladesh Qualify For ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023

New Delhi: Ireland and Bangladesh booked their place in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2023 with wins over Zimbabwe and Thailand respectively in the semi-finals of the qualifiers in Abu Dhabi.

Put in to bat first in the 1st semi-final, and the key clash of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2022, Ireland managed to post 137/6, with valuable contributions from the middle-order. Star opener Gaby Lewis was dismissed in the Powerplay, but Orla Prendergast, fresh from her impressive knock last game, carried Ireland with a 25-ball 28 before she was dismissed in the 12th over.

Laura Delany and Eimear Richardson got starts, but couldn’t quite give the innings a push. That came from Rebecca Stokell, whose 12-ball 26 gave Ireland a strong push towards the end. In the run chase, Sharne Mayers held the innings together for Zimbabwe with a 36-ball 39. Skipper Mary-Ann Musonda gave her good company with a 29-ball 31, the pair stringing together a fifty-run stand before Mayers was dismissed.

Arlene Nora Kelly and Jane Maguire took two wickets apiece and Zimbabwe’s required run rate got steeper once the skipper too was sent back. They eventually fell short by four runs as Ireland made it to the finals, ensuring their qualification to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa next year.

Scotland produced a complete performance to thrash UAE by x runs in the fifth place playoff match in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier on Friday. Half-centuries from Ailsa Lister and Kathryn Bryce helped Scotland post a total of 172.

In response, UAE lost half the side by the time they made 68, and they fell well short, losing by 85 runs. Bangladesh beat Thailand to qualify for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2023.

Asked to bat first, Bangladesh got off to a sluggish start, ambling along to 27/0 at the end of the Powerplay. Losing Fargana Hoque immediately after dent Bangladesh further.

Thailand tightened the screws with more wickets in the second half of the innings as batters got starts without quite converting them. Skipper Nigar Sultana never got going, making 17 off 24 balls before falling in the 15th over. It needed a late cameo from Rumana Ahmed, a 24-ball 28, to help Bangladesh post a total of 113/5, which still seemed below par.

But Bangladesh made up for that with a strong Powerplay with the ball, taking three Thailand wickets and conceding just 13 runs in the first six overs. Natthakan Chantham held the innings together from No.3, but she struggled to get support from the other end as Bangladesh kept things tight.

Sanjida Akter and Salma Khatun starred with the ball for Bangladesh, taking two wickets apiece, and bowling very economical spells. For Thailand, Chantham made her fifth half-century, but it wasn’t enough for her team to get close enough as Bangladesh beat them to the T20 World Cup in South Africa next year.

Set 77 to win, PNG had Sibona Jimmy and Tanya Ruma stitching together a fine partnership to give them a strong start. While the duo were dismissed, PNG aced the target in 11 overs to notch up a win in the seventh place playoffs.