Pakistan Women vs Bangladesh Women, 15th Match, Group A, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 - CommentaryPAKW vs BANW, 15th Match, Group A, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 - Commentary

“It’s not our skill. We just need to be more skillful in the mindset.” A visibly pained Fatima Sana signed off the post-match interview with that remark. It may sound like a cliche, but Pakistan have some serious introspection to do. They are yet to register a win since arriving in the UK - losses in the warm-up games against Sri Lanka and Scotland have now been followed by three defeats on the trot. It’s fair to say they are edging closer to the exit door, alongside Netherlands. As for Bangladesh, this victory provides a timely boost and keeps them firmly in the hunt as the league stage progresses. With India and South Africa coming up next week, their path isn’t easy. However, if they can manage to win one of those two games, a semifinal spot might not be out of reach. That’s a discussion for another day, though. We hope you enjoyed our coverage of this game. Until next time, cheers and goodbye from the team of Raju Peethala, Kiran Nataraj and Mukesh HS.

Nigar Sultana | Bangladesh skipper: [On Shorna Akter’s match-winning innings] Definitely, because when we were playing, like we lost a lot of wickets today as well, so we really wanted to settle down there. I think Sobhana and me already started really well in the middle, but she got out. Then Shorna comes in, I think the way she played, actually, she changed the whole scenario for just because of that cameo, I guess, we got a good total. [On whether Shorna Akter could be promoted up the order] Yeah, I think she should be playing on her role, so the way she played, I guess, she’s very comfortable at her role, so maybe sometime, yeah, we can try her up, but still, this is the way actually she plays and this is her role. And she obviously likes it. [On the bowling plans after Pakistan’s strong start] I saw initially it was planned that we have to bowl in the right areas because in the last few overs when I was batting there, so I feel like that there is a drift and there is a bit of turn over there. So there will be something for the bowlers in the middle. So I talked with my bowlers and I was telling them, like, it’s just going into the right area, bowl into the wicket. If it is short, it doesn’t matter, but still bowl in the wicket so it will give us something. [On rating the team’s performance] I think, as a batting, I don’t know, I don’t remember what happened in the batting because I don’t want to recall, but I have to give them 10 on 10 because the energy they bring in the game and in such low total still they were keep fighting till the last ball and they were not relaxing in the middle. So I was very happy. And each and everyone put their hand up in this game and I think the hard work actually paid off.

Fatima Sana | Pakistan skipper: [On where Pakistan’s chase went wrong] I think today is the day that we don’t have any excuse, but I think we were not up to the mark in the batting, and we should be responsible for the performances, and as a whole team and the senior players should step up in these type of matches. [On preparing for the next match after consecutive close defeats] Obviously, we will try to sit together and discuss all these things, and we will try to change our thoughts because it’s totally on our thoughts thing. It’s not our skill. We just need to be more skillful in the mindset.

Shorna Akter | Player of the Match: [On her innings of 39 off 22 balls] First of all, thanks to Almighty, when I am going to the wicket, we lost five wickets already. So I am trying to be a key scorer in our scoreboard. [On her preferred batting position] I think I am happy to bat wherever the team wants me and depending on the situation of the game. [On Bangladesh’s win over Pakistan and her role in the team] I think I’m an all-rounder, first of all, middle order batter. So when I’m going to the wicket, so I’m always trying to play my role well, so I could do it today.
[After being named Player of the Match] “Thank you.”

Despite Shorna Akter's brilliance, all Pakistan had to do was chase nearly run-a-ball and anyone with remote experience of this format would tell you that powerplay is a real game-changer in such chases. They needed a positive start and Pakistan scored none off the first 7 balls. They did manage a few boundaries, but all they could muster was 41 at the end of the powerplay. And then in the 12th over, Shanjida Akter picked up 2 wickets in the space of 4 balls. Pakistan never really recovered after that. They found it tough to rotate strike against the spinners and were eventually strangled by a 23-run margin. Stick around for the post-match reactions...

17:55 local, 16:55 GMT, 22:25 IST: You don't win too many games when your team has an obvious weakness. You don't win too many games when your team is heavily reliant on one or two players. You don't win too many games when you concede 43 off the last 4 overs, and you do not win too many games when you fail to score a single boundary off the last 12 overs of a run chase. Pakistan players in absolute disbelief and they only have themselves to blame. Bangladesh were struggling at 80/5 at the end of 16 overs. It was very obvious that they were struggling against spin, but unfortunately for Pakistan, they had only one over of spin remaining at that point. Should they have gone for a sixth-bowling option at that stage and continue with spin? They decided to back the 23 year old Tasmia Rubab and she ended up conceding 25 off her final 2. It was all Shorna Akter for Bangladesh in the last 4 overs. From 3 off 5, she ended up with 39 off 22 and that proved to be the difference between both sides.

30 needed off 6. Marufa to bowl...