Women’s T20 World Cup: Scotland slip to 16-run defeat by Bangladesh

Sarah Bryce’s unbeaten 49 was not enough to get Scotland over the line as they started their debut Women’s World T20 Cup campaign with a 16-run defeat to Bangladesh.

Scotland were chasing 120 for victory but opener Bryce, batting in the Sharjah heat having earlier kept wicket, was given little support as they could only make 103 for the loss of seven wickets in their 20 overs.

Saskia Horley starred with the ball as Scotland limited Bangladesh, who won the toss and elected to bat as they looked for a first win in the competition since 2014, to 119 for seven from their full allocation despite dropping three catches in the Group B opener.

She took a career-best three for 13 from her two overs at the end of the innings, removing Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni and skipper Nigar Sultana, whose run-a-ball contribution of 18 was bettered only by opener Shathi Rani’s 29 and 36 from number three Sobhana Mostary.

The Scots, who had lost each of their four previous T20 internationals against Bangladesh, got off to a mixed start with opener Horley and skipper Kathryn Bryce departing cheaply by the time the score had reached 31.

Ailsa Lister, who had been dropped in the deep on five, failed to make the most of her escape when she holed out having added just six more, and Scotland faltered when Priyanaz Chatterji was needlessly run out for five with the score on 65.

Scotland fell further off the pace as the screw tightened, and Nahida Akter all but sealed the win when she had Katherine Fraser caught by Rabeya Khan for two, in the process becoming the first woman from Bangladesh to take 100 T20 wickets.