Linsey Smith starred with the ball as England launched their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign with a 21-run victory over Bangladesh.
Smith turned in figures of two for 11 from her four overs and played the significant role in the dangerous Nigar Sultana Joty’s run out as Heather Knight’s side limited the Bangladeshis to 97 for seven in the Group B showdown under the lights in Sharjah.
She and Charlie Dean each claimed two wickets to help successfully defend a target of 119 after Danni Wyatt-Hodge had scored 41 in a modest total of 118 for seven on a tricky pitch.
England won the toss and opted to bat, and opener Maia Bouchier enjoyed a reprieve when she was dropped by Rabeya Khan at point off the bowling of Marufa Akter on 16.
Rabeya redeemed herself when she had Bouchier caught by Nahida Akter at mid-on for an 18-ball 23 in the seventh over with 48 on the board.
Nat Sciver-Brunt soon followed leg-before to Fahima Khatun for two and, with the Bangladesh bowlers putting the brakes on England after a return of 47 without loss from the power play, Knight was bowled by Ritu Moni for six to leave her side on 73 for three after 11.2 overs.
Wyatt-Hodge followed with just three more runs having been added when she was stumped by Joty off the bowling of Nahida for a 41 which included five boundaries, and Alice Capsey was caught reverse-sweeping on nine to leave her side 90 for five with 25 balls remaining.
Marufa returned the favour when she dropped Amy Jones in the deep off Rabeya, but Dani Gibson and Charlie Dean both fell cheaply as England were restricted to 118 despite Sophie Ecclestone’s two-ball, eight-run cameo with Fahima’s two for 18 the pick of the bowling contributions.
Dean trapped Dilara Akter in front for six in her first over and when fellow opener Shathi Rani chipped Smith to Ecclestone in the fifth over, the Bangladeshis were 17 for two and had reached just 20 by the end of the six-over power play.
Shathi’s demise brought skipper Joty to the wicket and her more adventurous approach guided her side to 42 for two by the halfway point, but they slipped to 52 for three when she was run out for 15 from Smith’s accurate throw to wicketkeeper Jones.
When leg-spinner Sarah Glenn clean bowled Shorna Akter for two in the 13th over, Bangladesh needed 64 from 46 balls and although Sobhana Mostary pulled Dean for six in the 16th, Smith mopped up Taj Nehar for seven and Sciver-Brunt accounted for Ritu for two to leave them needing 34 from 14 balls.
Mostary’s 44 from 48 balls before she fell lbw to Dean was the only score of note in an innings which was never really allowed to get going.