Suzie Bates shines with the bat as White Ferns thrash Bangladesh at T20 World Cup

Newlands, Cape Town: New Zealand 189-3 off 20 overs (Suzie Bates 81 not out off 61 balls, Maddy Green 44 not out off 20 balls; Fahima Khatun 2-36 off four overs) beat Bangladesh 118-8 off 20 overs (Shorna Akter 31 off 22 balls; Eden Carson 3-18 off four overs, Hannah Rowe 2-15 off three overs) by 71 runs.

An unbeaten 81 from under-fire opener Suzie Bates helped the White Ferns hammer Bangladesh by 71 runs and keep their faint T20 World Cup semifinal hopes alive.

After two ducks in their crushing opening defeats to Australia and South Africa, Bates was under pressure and the 35-year-old responded in style, hitting seven fours and a six to help guide her side to an imposing 189-3 from their 20 overs – the highest total of the tournament.

Maddy Green (44 off 20 balls) and Bernadine Bezuidenhout (44 off 26) also made telling contributions as the White Ferns showed plenty of application with the bat at Newlands knowing they needed a big score to have any chance of progressing.

READ MORE:
* White Ferns suffer heavy defeat to Australia in Twenty20 World Cup opener
* Sophie Devine ponders whether domestic game is working after White Ferns’ horror show
* White Ferns turn in nightmare batting display in costly T20 World Cup loss

Bangladesh were then restricted to a middling 118-8, the recalled Hannah Rowe picking up wickets in her first two overs and off-spinner Eden Carson claiming three scalps as the White Ferns cruised to their first victory of the campaign.

It was just the response captain Sophie Devine had demanded after their “embarrassing” efforts with the bat against Australia and South Africa, when the Kiwis were skittled for just 76 and 67 respectively.

After winning the toss and batting first, Bezuidenhout set the tone for the White Ferns with a boundary from the first ball. At the other end, a nervy Bates started patiently and was fortunate not to be run out but for a poor throw, but she soon found her stride as New Zealand finished the power play 49 without loss.

With 77 runs on the board after 8.4 overs the White Ferns were trucking along nicely, until the aggressive Bezuidenhout was sent on her way six short of her maiden T20 international half-century, bowled by Shorna Akter.

Melie Kerr (16 off 13) and Devine (0 off 1) both fell cheaply, bringing Maddy Green to the crease. And the 30-year-old was in belligerent mood, smashing 44 off just 20 balls at a strike rate of 220.00 as she and Bates added 73 in the last seven overs to take New Zealand to their second highest score at a T20 World Cup.

In response, the ninth-ranked Bangladeshis never looked like getting close to what would be a record run chase once Rowe removed Shamima Sultana and Sobhana Mostary inside the first four overs.

A flurry of late wickets took the steam out of their stuttering chase as the White Ferns wrapped up a morale-boosting win heading into their final game against Sri Lanka, who have won two of their three Group A matches and sit in second place behind defending champions Australia (three from three).

The big moment

After winning the toss, Devine opted to bat first – a brave call after their woeful displays with the willow in their first two matches, but a necessary one to keep their wafer-thin hopes of progressing alive.

Devine’s faith in her openers was repaid with Bates and Bezuidenhout putting on a 77-run partnership to give the White Ferns the perfect platform to go big, which they duly did, posting the fourth-highest total at a Women’s T20 World Cup.

Best with bat

After two ducks against Australia and South Africa, veteran opener Bates showed she still has plenty to offer the national team with a sublime 81 not out at Newlands.

The 35-year-old right-hander was back to her brilliant best as she struck seven fours and a six in an explosive innings, punishing some pedestrian Bangladesh bowling to breathe life into New Zealand’s stuttering T20 World Cup campaign.

Bates became the first woman to pass 1000 runs in T20 World Cups, passing Australian great Meg Lanning.

Best with ball

Off-spinner Carson finished with career best figures of 3-18 after taking some late wickets to help the White Ferns significantly boost their run rate and, mathematically at least, stay in the hunt for the semifinals.

First Carson removed dangerwoman Murshida Khatun, then she perplexed Nahida Akter with a carrom ball to offer up a simple catch for Jess Kerr. She completed her miserly spell by sending Ritu Moni packing in the penultimate over.

The big picture

The White Ferns’ 71-run win gave their net run rate a healthy boost (from –4.050 to –1.517), and they will need a similarly emphatic win over second-placed Sri Lanka in their final group game on Monday morning (NZT) to have any chance of emerging from Group A.

Even then they would need to rely on other results, hoping that Australia hammer South Africa (+1.550), who also have two points, or better still Bangladesh somehow upset the hosts.