BAN-W vs ENG-W

Right - that is all we have for you from the 2024 ICC Women's T20 World Cup for today. A double-header awaits us tomorrow as well - arch rivals India and Pakistan face off against each other first, followed by a contest between the West Indies and Scotland in the evening. Join us right here on Sportskeeda for our coverage of them, and in the meantime, keep an eye on our page for a whole lot more! This is Rajarshi Das, signing off on behalf of Arya Sekhar Chakraborty. Good night!

Lots to take away for this Bangladesh outfit from this game. Having gone into the game on a back of a first win in the Women's T20 World Cup in ten years, put up a brave fight with the ball, but had to be more aggressive with the bat to prevail. England had a plethora of quality spinners to bank on - the likes of Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith will thrive on bowling on decks like these. They'll get to do so again when England meet South Africa on Monday at Sharjah, while Bangladesh get more time to reset and head into their game against the West Indies on Thursday. 

Heather Knight, England captain: Really nice to get going. Conditions were tough for batting and boundary hitting. The way Danni boosted the way was outstanding. Few bits we can do better, but pleased with the performance and glad to get the win. It wasn't far off par, but to push to 135-140 was going to be a good score. It was what we prepared for, got to find a way to get it done. Not going to be beautiful at times doing so in these conditions, have to graft a bit, minimize dot balls because boundaries are going to be tough to hit. Having said that, was pretty happy with the score. You saw in our innings wicket was slower and lower. Happy for Linsey Smith, 6 years, last World Cup game. To come in and put the performance she did was really pleasing. We had a look at what was going on, what the pitch is like, felt Linsey was better suited, with her trajectory and how she keeps the stumps in play. Tricky decision, but the right one with the way Linsey bowled. That's what we have to do, be adaptive to slightly different wickets across the competition. They (South Africa) had a convincing win the other night, they're competitive, bring the fire and passion. We have to play really well, they've got some world-class players.

Nigar Sultana Joty, Bangladesh captain: We missed a good opportunity to beat a good side. Our bowlers have done a great job every time. To restrict England to that was quite brilliant. It was how they started in the powerplay, and then we kept them in control. We have to have a good partnership. Not having runs in the powerplay cost us. We kept giving our wickets in a row, I got out at the wrong time. She played really well (Mostary) happy with how consistent she's been, hope she'll do the same for the next games.

Danielle Wyatt is the Player of the Match: It was really nice to get a win. Very tough conditions here for the batters and we are happy with the team. We did really well to get to that score. Don't think the conditions changed too much. Yeah every game will be a challenge. It will be important to learn from tonight and go again in the next game.

Match summary:

England win by 21 runs

Danielle Wyatt-Hodge 41 (40) | Linsey Smith 2/11 (4)
Sobhana Mostary 44 (48) | Fahima Khatun 2/18 (4)

They fought really hard with the bat, but this England side proved to be too good for them. The quality of fielding and the running between the wickets turned out to be a major difference between the two sides -  England were clearer by a long way in both aspects. Nigar Sultana Joty and Sobhana Mostary kept Bangladesh's hopes alive for a long time, but it was not to be for them.

The England spinners kept things really tight throughout the powerplay - the Bangladeshi opening pair of Shathi Rani and Dilara Akter tried their best to start off quickly, couldn't. The latter fell to Charlie Dean in the fourth over, trapped in front trying to sweep. Rani followed soon after - she tried to go big, but ended up spooning a simple catch to Sophie Ecclestone off Linsey Smith at mid off.

Nigar Sultana Joty and Sobhana Mostary proceeded to navigate Bangladesh through the middle overs, but the required rate kept climbing with each passing over. The Bangladesh skipper, though, showed really positive intent at times, taking on the right bowlers and picking the right areas in the field to hit.

Joty's run out in the 12th over played a pivotal role in altering the course of the game. Bangladesh lost Shorna Akter soon after, and it was left to Mostary to lead the chase. She tried her best as wickets kept falling at the other end, but as it turns out, there were too many runs to get, and the boundaries were proving to be too big - literally and figuratively. 

The game was well and truly up when Mostary was trapped in front, and England start off their 2024 Women's T20 World Cup campaign with a win. Stay tuned for the presentations...

8:58 P.M. Local Time, 10:28 P.M. IST: England were given a scare or two, but they get the job done eventually - quite clinically, at that! A spirited fight from Bangladesh, but a second successive win in the T20 World Cup wasn't quite meant to be.

19.6 Sophie Ecclestone to Fahima Khatun, That could be a wicket to end the game. A tossed-up off break a shade outside off, Fahima comes down the track and tries to belt this out of the ground, gets beaten and it looks like Fahima has made her crease back in time. The keeper Amy Jones couldn't quite whip off the bails in a flash. England Women wins by 21 runs. 

19.4 Sophie Ecclestone to Fahima Khatun, Fahima moves across off and goes for the sweep to a tossed-up delivery around middle, ends up getting a top edge which flies ovr the keeper's head, comes back for three runs. 

19.3 Sophie Ecclestone to Rabeya Khan, This could be another wicket here. On a length around off the stump, dabbed away towards the point region and manages to take the single. 

19.2 Sophie Ecclestone to Fahima Khatun, sweeps away the tossed-up fulller one a shade outside off, down towards the deep midwicket fielder and has to settle for a single. 

19.1 Sophie Ecclestone to Fahima Khatun, slower on a fullish-length around middle, Fahima goes swping across the line, gets beaten due to the extra bounce.

18.6 Charlotte Dean to Rabeya Khan, that was a tossed-up delivery a shade outside off, Rabeya comes down the track and tried to ease it towards the off side, Rabeya got beaten and the stumps have been whipped on in a flash. Replays confirm that Rabeya was back in her crease. 

18.5 Charlotte Dean to Rabeya Khan, slowish on a fuller-length a shade outside off, Rabeya hacks it across the line, finds the midwicket fielder.