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The Bangladesh women’s team fell 12 runs short in what could have been their record chase against their Irish counterparts in the first of the three-match T20I series at the Sylhet Cricket Stadium in Sylhet on Thursday.Ìý

Chasing 170 runs, the home side finished on 157-7, their highest in the second innings in a losing cause.

The hosts were in the game till the 19th over when they needed 18 from 12 with six wickets in hand.

But a double-wicket maiden in the penultimate over by Orla Prendergast paved the way for the tourists to register their first win over Bangladesh since 2018.Ìý

‘It was so close. We thought we could’ve achieved it. But they bowled really well,’ Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty said after the match.Ìý

Dilara Akter—who survived as many as seven chances in her 49 off 41, and Sobhana Mostary—who came to open only the second time in her career, got off to a flying start as Bangladesh posted 55 in the powerplay; they were 96-0 after 10.Ìý

Their record partnership of 103 runs for the first wicket finally broke when Sobhana was caught behind off Prendergast after scoring 46 off 35 with three fours and two sixes.Ìý

However, the hosts were hurt badly when their main batters, Joty and Dilara, fell in space three deliveries in the 14th over off pacer Arlene Kelly.Ìý

Dilara’s extraordinary luck finally ran out as she was caught at mid-off before Joty was caught at cover point.Ìý

Taj Nehar (19 off 14) and Sharmin Akter kept Bangladesh in the hunt, though. But they couldn’t snatch the win, as Prendergast's 19th over proved to be a game-changing one.Ìý

Sharmin, who was instrumental in the ODI series and was playing her first T20I in two years, remained unbeaten on 23 off 13.Ìý

Joty later admitted that losing too many wickets in the middle overs cost them.Ìý

‘We needed to settle down after the record opening partnership, but in the middle overs we lost two quick wickets. We need to bat well in the middle overs [in the next game], and we need to finish well too,’ said Joty.Ìý

Earlier, on a sporting Sylhet wicket, Ireland registered their highest score of 169-7 in the sub-continent by virtue of the highest third-wicket partnership of 107 runs between captain Gaby Lewis and Leah Paul.Ìý

They had a decent powerplay of 35 runs despite losing opener Amy Hunter early, who was bowled by Jahanara Alam.
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Prendergast was then undone by Jannatul Ferdus, who was playing in her first international since 2018.Ìý

But Lewis and Paul, who both got reprieves, remained firm and strong against a bowling attack that didn’t have the likes of Marufa Akter, Sultana Khataun, and Rabeya.

Lewis made 60 off 42 with seven fours and two sixes, while the player of the match, Paul, scored 79 in just 45 deliveries with 10 fours and two sixes.Ìý

Joty remarked that their bowling and fielding weren’t up to the mark.Ìý

‘This was a very good surface to bat on. So as a bowler, you need to bowl according to the plans. And the fielders need to support the bowlers.’

The second T20I will be held at the same venue on Saturday.