Tigresses brush off T20 World Cup debutants to gain confidence ahead of their showdown with Australia
Bangladesh have survived a scare in their opening match of the T20 World Cup, seeing off the Netherlands by six wickets in Birmingham.
The Netherlands, who are featuring in a Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time, pushed the Tigers in their debut match with captain Babette de Leede scoring a half-century to help her team post 8-139 at Edgbaston.
Sharmin Akhter then steered the Tigresses through a mid-innings wobble with 37 not out, to seal Bangladesh’s first points of the tournament.
The Tigresses had made a strong start to their chase led by young opener Juairiya Ferdous, who rode her luck on her way to 50 from 33 deliveries, posting her second fifty in her first 15 T20Is since debuting earlier this year.
Juairiya shared a 67-run opening stand with Dilara Akter (26 from 23), but fell one ball after reaching her half-century with Caroline De Lange getting the milestone first wicket for the Netherlands.
She followed up with a second a ball later, removing Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty for a golden duck.
Dilara was dismissed shortly after, bowled by a ripping leg-break from Silver Siegers, leaving Bangladesh 3-79.
When Sobhana Mostary (4) was run out by a brilliant direct hit by Frederique Overdijk off her own bowling, the Tigresses had lost 4-18 and the Netherlands could sniff an upset.
Sharmin Akter Supta (37no) and Shorna Akter (18no) settled the chase however, keeping their composure to secure victory with five balls to spare.
Earlier, de Leede elected to bat and Phebe Molkenboer took the attack to Bangladesh bowler Marufa Akter in the second over, striking consecutive boundaries before edging behind for 11.
Heather Siegers (16) also fell inside the Powerplay, while Rabeya Khan took her 50th T20I wicket with her first ball of the tournament, bowling Sterre Kalis (4) to leave the Netherlands 3-47 in the eighth over.
De Leede provided stability as others fell around her, and while she reached a memorable half-century on T20 World Cup debut, she was dismissed immediately after achieving the milestone with a single, run out coming back for a second.
A late rally from Iris Zwilling (13no) and Silver Siegers (10no) helped boost the Netherlands to 8-139.
Bangladesh’s next Group A encounter will see them play Australia at Headingley on Wednesday, while the Netherlands next face India at the same venue.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 standings
Round 1
Group 1
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
Drawn
D
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Bowling Bonus
Bowl
Total points
PTS
1
AUS
1
1
0
0
0
0
3.25
0
0
0
2
2
IND
1
1
0
0
0
0
3.2
0
0
0
2
3
BAN
1
1
0
0
0
0
0.407
0
0
0
2
4
NED
1
0
1
0
0
0
-0.407
0
0
0
0
5
PAK
1
0
1
0
0
0
-3.2
0
0
0
0
6
SA
1
0
1
0
0
0
-3.25
0
0
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
Group 2
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
Drawn
D
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Bowling Bonus
Bowl
Total points
PTS
1
ENG
1
1
0
0
0
0
4.35
0
0
0
2
2
SCO
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
3
WI
1
1
0
0
0
0
0.118
0
0
0
2
4
NZ
1
0
1
0
0
0
-0.118
0
0
0
0
5
IRE
1
0
1
0
0
0
-2
0
0
0
0
6
SL
1
0
1
0
0
0
-4.35
0
0
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
