Photo: Collected

CHATTOGRAM, Jan 20, 2025 (BSS) - The Bangladesh Women's team's aspiration to have a direction qualification to the ICC Women's World Cup received a setback when they suffered a crushing nine-wicket defeat to hosts West Indies in the three-match ODI series-opening game at Basseterre in Sti Kitts today.

For a direct qualification to the World, Bangladesh needs to win at least two matches but the manner in which they succumbed to a defeat to the Caribbean Women's team raised a question whether they can put up fight in the next two matches.

Asked to bat first, the Tigresses, as it is adorably called, were restricted to 198-9 in 50 overs, a total that West Indies chased down with incredible ease to reach 202-1 in just 31.4 overs.

Captain Hayley Matthews was the instrumental in the comprehensive victory with a superb allround performance. Coming to open the innings she smashed 89 ball-104 not out, an innings laced with 16 boundaries before taking 2-41.
    
She and her opening partner Qiana Joseph dented any chance of Bangladesh to put up a fight by adding 163 runs for the opening stand. Before being dismissed by Rabeya Khan, Qiana Joseph made 70 off 79 with six fours and four sixes.

Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle then sailed the side home without any fuss with the latter remaining not out on 14.

Earlier openers Murshida Khatun and Sharmin Akter Supta got a start but couldn't convert it into a big total, ruining Bangladesh's hopes of making a big total.

Sharmin top-scored for the side with 42 while Murshida made 40. Sobhana Mostary was the other notable scorer with 35. The rest of the batters crumbled under pressure, giving West Indies a target that they made cake-walk. 

Dendra Dottin claimed 3-40 for West Indies to slice Bangladesh's middle order.