The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 exploded into life at Birmingham on June 14, 2026, as Bangladesh Women clashed with Netherlands Women in a highly anticipated Group 1 encounter. In what was the 5th match of the tournament, fans were treated to a thrilling display of modern T20 cricket. Ultimately, it was Bangladesh who cruised to a comprehensive six-wicket victory, entirely powered by an unforgettable, explosive half-century from opening sensation Juairiya Ferdous.
Bangladesh halts Netherlands to a competitive score
Winning the toss and electing to set a target, the Netherlands Women stitched together a fighting total of 139 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. The Dutch innings was single-handedly anchored by their skipper, Babette de Leede, who played a captain’s knock of 50 off 45 balls, decorated with five boundaries. However, the Netherlands struggled to build momentum early on, losing opener Phebe Molkenboer for just 11, courtesy of Marufa Akter.
Heather Siegers showed intent with a quickfire 16 off 13 balls before falling to Fariha Trisna, while Sterre Kalis was clean-bowled by Rabeya Khan for a tedious 4. The Bangladesh bowling attack kept chipping away with immense discipline. Ritu Moni choked the run flow spectacularly, finishing with phenomenal figures of 1 for 17 in her 4 overs.
Despite some lower-order resistance from Iris Zwilling (13*) and Silver Siegers (10*), the Dutch team collapsed from 113 for 5 to 116 for 8 within just 8 deliveries, largely due to two sharp run-outs executed by Shorna Akter. Bangladesh’s cohesive bowling and fielding performance successfully halted the Netherlands to a competitive but highly chaseable score.
Juairiya Ferdous powers Bangladesh to a commanding victory over Netherlands
Chasing 140 for victory, Bangladesh Women came out with absolute intent, posting 47 runs in the Powerplay without losing a wicket. The chase was completely dictated by opener Ferdous, who produced a masterclass in aggressive batting. Ferdous lit up Birmingham by blasting a sensational 50 off just 33 balls. Her explosive knock included seven boundaries and two towering sixes, operating at a strike rate of 151.51. She added a vital 67-run opening stand with Dilara Akter, who made a steady 26.
The match saw a brief moment of drama in the 8th over when Caroline de Lange struck twice in consecutive deliveries. She first dismissed Ferdous and then cleaned up Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana for a golden duck. When Sobhana Mostary was run out for just 4, Bangladesh suddenly slipped to 85 for 4, injecting some late hope into the Dutch camp.
However, any hope of a Netherlands comeback was firmly shut down by Sharmin Akhter and Shorna. The duo absorbed the pressure effortlessly, putting up an unbeaten 56-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Sharmin anchored the final stretch beautifully with a composed 37 off 32 balls, while Shorna played a supporting role with 18 off 17 balls. Bangladesh comfortably crossed the finish line at 141 for 4 in 19.1 overs, sealing the match with 5 balls to spare.
What a brilliant chase for Bangladesh 👊
– Juairiya Ferdous played a fantastic knock 🔥#NEDvBAN #T20WorldCup #WomesnCricket pic.twitter.com/5HmQqQTwRp
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) June 15, 2026
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.