Ireland avoid whitewash

Despite posting their highest ever score in T20I cricket, the Bangladesh women's team went on to lose the third and final match of the three-match T20I series against Ireland by six wickets in the last ball of the match at the Malahide Cricket Club Ground in Dublin yesterday.

Bangladesh had however earlier clinched the series by winning the first two matches.

Ireland reached the target of 152 off the final ball of the game as Isobel Joyce struck the winning shot after the last over from Jahanara Alam started with the home side needing 11.

Ireland were initially in a spot of bother in the chase as they lost both openers and were struggling on 30 for two inside seven overs.

But skipper Laura Delany and Gaby Lewis change the course of the game as the pair added 93 runs for the third wicket. Nahida Akter and Panna Ghosh picked up a wicket each for the bowling side.

Earlier, Bangladesh made a flying start riding on opener Ayasha Rahman and Shamima Sultana after being sent to bat, adding 47 runs for the first wicket.

But it was Fargana Hoque who took charge and went on to reach her second T20I fifty and remained unbeaten on a career-best 66 off 47 balls, including six fours and two sixes, to help post a challenging total of 151 for four.

Bangladesh's previous highest score was 142, which they achieved while chasing down India's 141 in a Women's T20 Asia Cup league game earlier this month.

SCORES IN BRIEF

BANGLADESH: 151 for 4 in 20 overs (Shamima 30, Ayasha 27, Fargana 66 not out; Delany 1-19)   

IRELAND: 152 for 4 in 20 overs (Shillington 21, Lewis 50, Delany 46, Joyce 22 not out; Nahida 1-20)

Result: Ireland women won by 6 wickets.