Fifty

Cricketing wisdom would tell you that you can’t win a 100-over game in the first over, but you can go a long way to losing it.

That is certainly how Pakistan will view it with two of their top three – Omaima Sohail and Ameen – gone for golden ducks thanks to the new-ball brilliance of Marufa Akter.

The 20-year-old had the ball hooping from the off and with just her fifth delivery she produced a superb swinging delivery that beat Omaima through the gate and crashed into middle and leg.

Next ball she was at it again. Slightly wider this time, but the same prodigious swing back into the right-hander – with a bit of help from Ameen’s inside edge – made a mess of the stumps once more.

“How Marufa bowled in the powerplay – she stole the show!” Joty said after the match.

“She’s very young, but she’s very mature and she knows her role very well. Everyone backed her up very well, but she was incredible.”

It was Ameen’s first duck in a one-day international since February 2019 and, given the form she has been in, it seemed to shock Pakistan.

With scores of 121 not out, 122, 50 not out and 37 not out in her past four innings, the significance of Ameen’s wicket for Bangladesh was huge.

Marufa’s impact lessened once the swing diminished, but the Bangladesh spinners were ready and waiting to do their part.

All six bowlers used claimed at least one wicket, with leg-spinner Shorna Akter taking 3-5 and left-armer Nahida Akter 2-19.

There was no respite for Pakistan, and any hopes they had of defending such a low total were scuppered by the class and coolness of Jhilik on debut.

Captain Litton Das hit a 33-ball half-century to guide Bangladesh to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Hong Kong in the Asia Cup.

Having restricted Hong Kong to 143-7, Bangladesh – led by Das’ 59 from 39 balls – knocked off the runs with 14 balls to spare.

The Tigers opted to field first in Abu Dhabi and struck twice during the powerplay, and despite Nizakat Khan leading a recovery, top-scoring with 42 from 40, Hong Kong were never able to get away from their Test-playing opponents.

Seamer Tanzim Hasan Sakib was the pick of the Bangladesh attack, taking 2-21, while his fellow quick Taskin Ahmed and wrist-spinner Rishad Hossain also took two wickets.

Bangladesh also lost two wickets in the powerplay but the experienced Das quickly got them back on track in the chase, hitting six fours and a six, as he put on 95 for the third wicket with Towhid Hridoy.

Das fell with just two needed for victory so it was left to Hridoy, who finished unbeaten on 35, to hit the winning run in the 18th over and get Bangladesh’s campaign off to a winning start.

At least 50 people have been killed and injured in a huge fire at a hypermarket in Kut city in eastern Iraq, the INA state news agency has reported, quoting the province’s governor.

Videos on social media showed flames engulfing a five-storey building in Kut overnight, where firefighters were trying to contain the fire.

The Wasjit province governor Mohammed al-Mayahi said the fire broke out in a hyper market and a restaurant. Families were having dinner, shopping when fire broke out, he said.

Firefighters rescued a number of people and put out fire, the governor added.

Three days of mourning have been announced and an investigation has been launched.  Investigation results will be released within 48 hours.

“A tragedy and a calamity have befallen us,” the governor said.

“We have filed lawsuits against the owner of the building and the mall,” INA quoted the governor as saying.

More to come…