Bangladesh win Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier title

Banlgadesh women 130 for 5 (Sanjida 71*, Murshida 33, Boochatham 2-31) beat Thailand women 60 for 7 (Padunglerd 15*, Sharmin 2-9, Akter 2-17) by 70 runs

Asia Cup champions Bangladesh women won their second title in as many years by beating Thailand women in the final of the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifer in Dundee on Saturday. A valiant and unbeaten opening effort of 71 off 60 balls from Sanjida Islam and two wickets each from spinners Nahida Akter and Shaila Sharmin highlighted their 70-run win as they defended 130.

As both teams had already qualified for the Women's T20 World Cup to be played in Australia next year, Bangladesh's win on Saturday put them in Group A (Australia, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka) whereas Thailand head to Group B (England, South Africa, West Indies and Pakistan).

"We are very happy to be heading to Australia for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in February. Being at the world stage helps us grow the women's game back home in Bangladesh. We hope they can watch and be inspired to play," Bangladesh captain Salma Khatun said.

The Bangladesh openers made full use of their decision to bat with a partnership of 68 in 10 overs before Murshida Khatun was bowled by legspinner Suleeporn Laomi for 33 off 34 balls. Sanjida hardly got anymore support from the rest of the line-up but her maiden T20I fifty carried Bangladesh all the way till the end as she struck six fours and three sixes in all. No other Bangladesh batsman scored in double digits as Jahanara Alam was run out for 3 and Fahima Khatun was stumped on her first ball which was a wide.

Thailand stuttered in their chase early by starting slow and losing three wickets in the first six overs. Their top four fell for single-digit scores, totalling 14 runs in all, as Nahida dismissed the openers in her first two overs. They couldn't put on any substantial partnership until Wongpaka Liengprasert and captain Sornnarin Tippoch (8) came together for 24 runs for the fifth wicket. Tippoch was soon caught on the legside off Sharmin, leaving Thailand with a tall task of scoring 90 runs in the last five overs. Liengprasert was boweld by Sharmin for 11 off 29 in the 16th over and Ratanaporn Padunglerd's unbeaten 15 off 14 with a four and a six only reduced Thailand's margin of defeat.