Tigresses move into Asia Cup semis

Bangladesh confirmed their semifinal spot in the ongoing Women's Asia Cup with a 114-run win against Malaysia in their last Group B match at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka won their final Group B match by 10 wickets against Thailand and qualified into the last four as group winners to set up a semifinal clash against Pakistan, while the Tigresses progressed as group runner-up and will take on tournament favourites India in the other semifinal.

The Tigresses put on a solid show against a relatively weaker Malaysia. Opener Murshida Khatun struck a career-best 59-ball 80 while skipper Nigar Sultana Joty smashed an unbeaten 37-ball 62 to propel Bangladesh to 191-2, their second-highest in T20Is, the highest being 255 for two against the Maldives in the 2019 SA Games in Pokhara.

Bangladesh were clinical with the ball as well as they restricted Malaysia to 77 for eight.

Pacer Jahanara Alam, who played her first international match after more than a year, gave Bangladesh an early breakthrough when she removed Ainna Hamizah Hashim in the second delivery of the innings.

Elsa Hunter then made 23-ball 20 before left-arm spinner Nahida Akter struck. Nahida picked up two more, while Jahanara, Sabikun Nahar Jesmin, Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni and Shorna Akter scalped one each.

Earlier, Murshida's innings featured 10 fours and a six as she put up a 65-run opening stand with Dilara Akter (33).

Following the departure of Dilara, the southpaw added a quickfire 89-run stand with Joty to take Bangladesh's score past the 150-run mark before falling to Hunter in the 17th over and missing out on her maiden century in the format.

It was Murshida's second consecutive half-century in the tournament after she was left out of the lineup in Bangladesh's first match against Sri Lanka.

Joty then hammered the Malaysia bowlers at the death and completed her eighth half-century.