Lahore, April 10 (NationPress) The captain of Bangladesh Women's team, Nigar Sultana, celebrated her first ODI century in a remarkable fashion, while spinners Fahima Khatun and Jannatul Ferdus claimed all ten wickets, driving the team to a decisive victory by 178 runs against Thailand in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier held at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Sultana's century off just 78 balls, along with Sharmin Akhter’s unbeaten 94, helped Bangladesh achieve their highest ODI score of 271/3, surpassing their previous record of 252. Thailand, in response, was bowled out for a mere 93 runs, marking their lowest total in ODIs, as Bangladesh celebrated their largest win by runs in the format.

Despite an early loss of Ishma Tanjim in the fourth over, Bangladesh found stability through a strong 104-run partnership for the second wicket between Sharmin Akhter and Fargana Hoque. Hoque contributed a solid half-century, scoring 53 runs off 75 balls before being dismissed.

Following Hoque's dismissal, Sultana took command, infusing energy and aggression into the innings. Her innings, filled with boundaries, featured strategic sweeps and powerful leg-side shots, allowing her to reach her century in just 78 deliveries. Together with Sharmin, they formed a record-breaking partnership of 152 runs for the third wicket, the highest in Bangladesh's ODI history.

Sharmin concluded the innings not out at 94, unable to achieve her century despite being at the crease during the last over. The duo's explosive batting in the final 10 overs resulted in an additional 77 runs, establishing a daunting total for Thailand.

Thailand's attempts to respond were swiftly thwarted by Bangladesh's formidable spin bowling. Fahima Khatun, in her 45th ODI, spearheaded the attack with a personal best of 5 for 21, while Jannatul Ferdus, in just her third ODI, delivered a stunning performance with figures of 5 for 7, including a double-wicket maiden in her opening over.

Ferdus dismantled Thailand's middle and lower order with remarkable precision, securing three wickets without conceding a run. Fahima made an immediate impact after the power-play by bowling Chanida Sutthiruang with her first delivery. The Thai batting lineup faltered as both spinners expertly exploited the slow pitch, with little resistance from the batters.

With this emphatic victory, Bangladesh now occupies the third position in the group standings, boasting a superior net run rate and showcasing the most dominant performance of the tournament thus far. The top two teams from the qualifiers will earn a spot in the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup in India.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 271/3 in 50 overs (Nigar Sultana 101, Sharmin Akhter 94 not out; Phannita Maya 1-28, Thipatcha Putthawong 1-41) beat Thailand 93 all out in 28.5 overs (Chanida Sutthiruang 22, Nattaya Boochatham 17; Jannatul Ferdus 5-7, Fahima Khatun 5-21) by 178 runs