Bangladesh Women defeated Pakistan Women by 23 runs in the 15th match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at West End. After being asked to bat first, Bangladesh Women posted 123/6 in their 20 overs. Useful contributions from Nigar Sultana and Shorna Akter helped Bangladesh reach a competitive total. Fatima Sana (2/18 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for Pakistan Women.

In reply, Pakistan Women appeared to be cruising towards victory, but Bangladesh's spinners staged a dramatic fightback that completely turned the match around. Nahida Akter (3/18 in 4 overs) and Sanjida Akter Meghla (3/21 in 4 overs) ripped through Pakistan's middle and lower order. Ritu Moni and Rabeya Khan also chipped in with one wicket each.

Muneeba Ali was the top scorer for Pakistan Women, but the batting collapse left Pakistan stunned and eliminated from the tournament despite having two group-stage matches remaining. With this victory, Bangladesh Women strengthened their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

Bangladesh Recover After Early Top-Order Collapse

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana made an excellent start after Bangladesh elected to bat. Her disciplined spell put Bangladesh under immediate pressure and reduced them to 13 for 3 in the fifth over.

Sana struck twice in her opening over. Dilara Akter became the first casualty when she mistimed an aggressive shot and was caught at mid-on. A few deliveries later, Sharmin Akter was trapped in front of the stumps by a delivery that jagged back sharply.

Bangladesh struggled to score freely against the new ball. Sana's opening figures of 3-1-9-2 left the batting side in serious trouble as they managed only 23 runs for the loss of three wickets during the powerplay.

Pakistan Show Improvement in the Field

Pakistan entered the match under criticism for poor fielding performances earlier in the tournament. However, they looked much sharper against Bangladesh.

Nashra Sandhu safely held the catch to dismiss Dilara before taking another catch later to remove Juairiya Ferdous off Tasmia Rubab's bowling. That wicket left Bangladesh reeling at 13 for 3.

Another encouraging moment came after the drinks break when Aliya Riaz, who had struggled in the field in previous matches, successfully held Ritu Moni's catch at long-on.

Although there were still a few minor fielding errors, Pakistan's overall effort in the field was much improved compared to their earlier defeats against India and South Africa.

Nigar Sultana and Sobhana Mostary Steady the Innings

After the early collapse, Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana and Sobhana Mostary worked hard to rebuild the innings. Sultana anchored the batting effort with a composed 36 runs from 38 balls, while Mostary added a useful 22 from 19 deliveries. Their partnership helped Bangladesh recover from a difficult position and kept them in the contest.

However, when Sultana was dismissed by Sadia Iqbal early in the 18th over, Bangladesh were still far from a competitive total at 92 for 6.

Shorna Akter Sparks Late Charge

Just when Pakistan seemed to have complete control, Shorna Akter changed the momentum with an explosive innings. The young batter remained unbeaten on 39 runs from only 22 balls and attacked the Pakistan bowlers fearlessly in the closing overs. She struck five boundaries and consistently found gaps despite Pakistan trying to restrict her scoring options.

Shorna frequently moved across her crease to create room and played several innovative shots over the infield. Her aggressive approach helped Bangladesh collect 43 runs from the final four overs. The late surge lifted Bangladesh to 123, giving their bowlers something to defend.

Pakistan Begin Chase in Complete Control

Pakistan's chase started confidently as openers Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali built a solid foundation. The pair handled the early threat well and took Pakistan to 49 without loss in the eighth over. At that stage, victory looked almost certain.

Their approach was especially important because they successfully negotiated Marufa Akter, who had troubled Pakistan in a previous ICC event. With wickets intact and the required run rate under control, Pakistan appeared to be heading towards a comfortable win.

Bangladesh Spinners Trigger Dramatic Collapse

The turning point arrived when Nahida Akter dismissed Gull Feroza, who cut a short delivery straight to point. Soon after, Muneeba Ali also fell attempting an attacking shot, giving Nahida her second breakthrough.

Once the opening partnership was broken, Pakistan's innings completely fell apart. Nahida and Sanjida Akter Meghla took control during the middle overs and squeezed the batting lineup with disciplined spin bowling. Pakistan lost wickets regularly and struggled to rotate the strike.

Meghla delivered a crucial spell by dismissing Ayesha Zafar and Aliya Riaz in the same over before removing Saira Jabeen for a duck shortly afterward. Between the eighth and eighteenth overs, Pakistan suffered a disastrous collapse, losing eight wickets for just 35 runs.

Fatima Sana Unable to Rescue Pakistan

As wickets continued to tumble, Pakistan increasingly depended on captain Fatima Sana to produce another rescue act. However, Bangladesh never allowed her to settle completely. The pressure kept mounting as the required runs increased and wickets continued falling.

The decisive moment came at the beginning of the 18th over when Sana hit a catch to long-on. Her dismissal effectively ended Pakistan's hopes and sparked jubilant celebrations among the Bangladesh players.

Bangladesh's remarkable comeback victory lifted them above South Africa into third place in Group 1, although South Africa still have a match in hand.

Brief Scorecard