Bangladesh Faces Pakistan in Opening Match of Women’s World Cup

Bangladesh’s participation in the ongoing Women’s One-Day International (ODI) World Cup has been a dramatic journey. A loss to Pakistan had initially put Nigar Sultana’s squad at risk of elimination from the tournament. However, a subsequent game against the West Indies did not yield the required run rate, allowing Bangladesh to secure a spot in the World Cup.

Today, Thursday (2 October), Bangladesh’s “Bengal Tigers” will take on Pakistan in the tournament’s opening match.

Match Details

Bangladesh had previously been defeated by Pakistan in the last 50-over World Cup, a tournament in which Bangladesh made its debut and won just a single match. That lone victory, combined with net run rate calculations, allowed Bangladesh to finish seventh, ahead of Pakistan.

Captain Nigar Sultana has made it clear that the team will not give any advantage to Pakistan: “When we step onto the field, I do not see Fatima Sana (Pakistan’s captain) as a friend, because she will try to get me out. Whenever I face her, I see her not as a teammate, but as an opponent.”

Bangladesh’s resolve is to start their World Cup campaign with a win against Pakistan, setting the tone for the rest of the tournament.

Rankings and Head-to-Head

Although Bangladesh is ranked slightly higher than Pakistan in the ICC rankings, Pakistan currently holds a narrow 8–7 advantage in head-to-head encounters. Their victory in the final match of the World Cup qualifiers in Lahore was decisive in that advantage.

This time, Bangladesh aims to reverse the trend, defeat Pakistan, and kick off their World Cup journey with a confident win.