Bangladesh women's cricket team secured a stunning 1-1 series draw as the third ODI against India women was tied on Saturday, July 22. The Indian team was bowled out on 225 runs in a last-over thriller while chasing a 226-run target in the last game of the series.
Experienced batter Fargana Hoque produced a maiden ODI hundred for the Bangladesh women's cricket team to help her team score a challenging total. Indian batters Harleen Deol and Smriti Mandhana almost pulled off an easy win with brilliant fifties. But Bangladesh bowlers made a sensational comeback in the last few overs to deny India a series win at home.
Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana won the toss and elected to bat first at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka. Openers Fargana and Shamima Sultana recorded a stunning 93-run stand for the opening wickets with the latter smashing her only second ODI fifty.
Sneh Rana gave India a breakthrough in the 27th over with Shamima's wicket but Fargana went on to record her and her team's first-ever century in 50-over international cricket. Fargana scored 107 runs but took a considerable 160 as she struggled for big shots to boost Bangladesh's total. For India, Rana took two wickets while a spin all-rounder Devika Vaidy picked one.
India's struggles for a good start continued as they lost young opener Shafali Verma on just four runs in the second over and wicketkeeper batter Yastika Bhatia on five runs in the fifth over.
But vice-captain and star batter Smriti Mandhana turned the game for India with Harleen Deol as the duo added a 107-run stand for the third wicket. Both the batter scored impressive fifties to boost the Women in Blue closer to the target. Mandhana scored 59 off 85 before getting caught out on Fahima Khatun's delivery in the 29th over and then India struggled to hold on to their comfortable grip on the game.
Harleen departed after top-scoring with 77 off 108 but still remained favorites to win the game with just 35 runs to win with five wickets in hand. But Nahida Akter picked two wickets in the 48th over to balance the game and the Indian team came under pressure despite Jemimah Rodrigues at the crease.
But Jemiamh struggled for big shots to finish the game and had to take a single run to hand over a strike to the last batter Meghna Singh. Meghana smashed one four in the 49th over but lost her wicket off Marufa Akter's delivery in the last over's third ball when needed just one run to win the game. Bangladesh players burst into celebration as there is no super-over system available to decide the winner in women's bilateral ODI matches.
