Bangladesh’s Super Eight fate in the T20 World Cup 2024 is in their own hands as one more win is all they need to go through.

The only way Bangladesh can miss out is if they lose big against Nepal, and Netherlands beat Sri Lanka by a big enough margin with that game scheduled an hour after Bangladesh vs Nepal. Bangladesh will fancy sailing through as they have looked like the second-best team in Group D so far. They know they can’t take Nepal lightly, more so after their close game against South Africa.

But Bangladesh are high on confidence, a side on the mend that, only recently, went down in a T20I series against USA. Their top-order batting remains a concern but their middle-order batters and bowlers have carried them to this promising position.

Legspinner Rishad Hossain is the surprise package, with his seven wickets. He has often picked the crucial scalps and his skilful bowling has lifted Bangladesh’s morale. The pace trio of Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman and Tanzim Hasan have provided a strong backbone, and their relentless accuracy this tournament has often brought about well-timed breakthroughs.

Nepal are still smarting from their one-run loss against South Africa. They were left wondering how they messed up a chase where they were ahead at one point. Gulsan Jha’s run out on the last ball left their legion of fans heartbroken, but their overall performance against one of the tournament’s top teams gives them confidence for the next challenge. Kushal Bhurtel and Dipendra Singh Airee shared seven wickets against South Africa at the same ground, while Aasif Sheikh comes in fresh off a stylish 42. Their big hitters are an X-Factor too.

Nepal have enough firepower to win, but Bangladesh, at this tournament, have shown an appetite for staying in the fight for longer periods. Key battles will be fought between their middle-order and Nepal’s spinners, particularly how they play Sandeep Lamichhane. Bangladesh’s fast bowlers, meanwhile, will look to exploit any lack of experience among the Nepal batters.

With Nepal wanting to finish the tournament with one win and Bangladesh equally motivated to take two points, expect another tight game in a T20 World Cup full of thrillers.

Three-wicket hauls from Sugandika Kumari and Kavisha Dilhari set Sri Lanka up for their first women’s ODI win over West Indies since 2015, the hosts going 1-0 up in the three-match series in Hambantota on Saturday.

Since that last win in 2015, Sri Lanka had lost their last six ODIs against West Indies going into this match.

Sent in, West Indies made a strong start, getting to 75 for 1 courtesy a 68-run second-wicket stand between Hayley Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle. They lost steam after left-arm spinner Kumari broke that partnership in the 19th over, losing their last eight wickets for 120 runs. Matthews (38) apart, only Stafanie Taylor (33) got past 30, as the spinners, led by Kumari and Dilhari, chipped away.

Sri Lanka’s top five managed the chase perfectly, with four of them getting past 35. Captain Chamari Athapaththu (38) and Vishmi Gunaratne (40) got them off to a solid start, putting on 88 in 13.2 overs, before Sri Lanka stumbled briefly, losing three wickets for 13 runs, with two of them falling to the medium-pace of  Aaliyah Alleyne.

Harshitha Samarawickrama (44*) and Hasini Perera (43), however, ensured there wouldn’t be any more major hiccups, putting on 63 for the fourth wicket to all but seal victory, before Afy Fletcher picked up a consolation wicket late in the game.

Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Women 198 for 4 in 34.1 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 44*, Hasini Perera 43, Vishmi Gunaratne 40, Chamari Athapaththu 38; Aaliyah Alleyne 2-22, Afy Fletcher 2-31) beat  West Indies Women 195 in 47.1 overs  (Hayley Matthews 38, Shemaine Campbelle 27,  Stefanie Taylor 33; Sugandika Kumari 3-30, Kavisha Dilhari 3-41) by six wickets

[Cricinfo]

There are parties you don’t want to be at, and parties the host doesn’t want you at. And then there are parties no one wants to be at.

Pakistan and Ireland find themselves in that last position, in extremely wet conditions in Lauderhill, Florida. They’ve both been eliminated from the T20 World Cup  and nothing that happens during their final group game on Sunday can change that. But it must be played, weather permitting, and so they will gear up for one more fixture that will have no impact on this tournament, and almost certainly no implications on qualification for the next one in 2026.

For Pakistan, it’s one more day in America before the players return to face the wrath of a nation whose anger has been bubbling up in the days following defeats to the USA and India.  PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is in an impregnable position, and is expected to ring the changes in the coming weeks, with Pakistan’s central contracts also up for review at the end of this month. Babar Azam’s side can do little to change the mood back home, though another defeat won’t help at all.

Ireland have also endured a disappointing tournament, especially since the build-up was promising. A home win over Pakistan and victory in a T20 tri-nation series in the Netherlands. But crumpling on a horror pitch in New York against India set the tone for a dismal campaign, with a defeat against Canada the nadir. While their qualification chances were theoretically alive before Lauderhill’s weather washed out their match against the hosts, all that’s left now is the hope that they may end their party in the USA on a high note.