SYLHET, Bangladesh – Ireland Women claimed the T20I series in Bangladesh when they beat the home side by 47 runs in the second T20I of the three-match series to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.
For the fourth time in a row, Gaby Lewis called correctly at the toss and made no hesitation to continue Ireland’s run of batting first. Two changes were made to the team that won on Thursday and achieved the side’s first victory of the tour (Out: Una Raymond-Hoey, Ava Canning; In: Rebecca Stokell, Alana Dalzell).
Ireland enjoyed a strong start until Lewis was removed with one delivery left in the powerplay. Amy Hunter and Orla Prendergast looked to kick on, but the loss of Hunter for 23 set them back again.
Prendergast along with Leah Paul and Laura Delany all enjoyed starts but the regular fall of wickets continued to curtail momentum when they looked to accelerate as they had done in the first T20I.
A last ball four from Stokell helped the visitors to 134-5 on a surface that still looked very good for batting, even if it wasn’t as flat as Thursday’s pitch.
A history of high T20I scores in Syhlet would suggest Ireland needed the perfect start which they duly received when Prendergast sent back Sobhana Mostary with a searing delivery that swung back in late.
The Pembroke allrounder then sent back Dilara Akter with a shorter deliver that got the top edge and was expertly held by Laura Delany. The required run rate wasn’t hugely worrying for the home side but Ireland continued to pile on pressure with the third wicket going to Arlene Kelly and the forth to Alana Dalzell.
At drinks, Bangladesh needed 82 from 60 and looked to be able to level the series. However regular wickets along with an electric fielding performance never let the chasing side back into the game.
Key highlights were catches from Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis and a run out by Sarah Forbes who initially dropped a high chance but had the presence of mind to keep the ball from the rope and get a quick throw into Amy Hunter. A second run out executed by Aimee Maguire at point with a flat throw to Hunter though exemplified Ireland’s energy and purpose in the field as a T20I series win now looked in their grasp.
Laura Delany matched her earlier innings of 35 with two important wickets and that crucial catch at the start but it was Orla Prendergast who went on to claim the final wicket and the Player of the Match award as Ireland took the series in a remarkable turnaround from the ODIs just before.
Both sides face again on Monday (at 4am Irish time) in the final T20I of the series and Ireland’s final match of the tour.
MATCH SUMMARY
Bangladesh Women v Ireland Women, 2nd T20I, Sylhet, 7 December 2024
Ireland 134-5 (20 overs; L Delany 35; N Akter 2-20)
Bangladesh 87 (17.1 overs; S Akhter 38; O Prendergast 3-13)
Ireland won by 47 runs
Scorecard link