Ireland seals T20I series against Bangladesh, eye clean sweep after dominant win

Ireland’s women’s cricket team has secured the T20I series victory against Bangladesh, claiming a decisive 47-run win in the second match on Saturday in Sylhet.

With this win, Ireland takes an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, leaving one game to spare.

The visitors had struggled earlier, losing the ODI series 3-0, but bounced back in the T20I format with two back-to-back victories.

Bangladesh, on the other hand, continued their tough run in T20I cricket, having lost 10 matches in a row, and now face the risk of a clean sweep in the series.

Ireland decided to bat first and set a competitive target of 134 for 5, thanks to key contributions from Orla Prendergast, who scored 32, and captain Laura Delany, who added a quick 35 towards the end. For Bangladesh, Nahida Akter stood out with the ball, taking 2 wickets for just 20 runs.

Bangladesh’s chase struggled from the very beginning, with their batters unable to form steady partnerships. The team was bowled out for just 87 runs in 17.1 overs.

A late collapse saw them lose their last five wickets for only 17 runs, as they fell from 70 for 5 to 87 all out.

Orla Prendergast shined again, this time with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 13 runs. Arlene Kelly and Laura Delany also contributed with two wickets each, as Ireland’s bowlers maintained a tight line and made it difficult for Bangladesh to score freely.

Only Sharmin Akhter (23) and Shorna Akter (20) showed some resistance, but it wasn’t enough to change the game.

Prendergast’s all-round performance earned her the Player of the Match award.

Now, with the series wrapped up, Ireland will look to complete a clean sweep when the third and final match takes place on December 9 at the same venue in Sylhet.

This result adds to Bangladesh’s difficult year in the T20I format, with earlier series defeats against India and Australia.