Bowlers come to the party as Tigresses end ten-year wait

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates, Oct 03 (Agencies): Bangladesh kicked off the Women's T20 World Cup campaign with a scrappy 16-run win over tournament debutants Scotland in the searing heat of Sharjah on Thursday.

An unwanted 16-match, decade-long losing streak in T20 World Cups has come to an end in the form of a first tournament match win away from home for Bangladesh, in one they were meant to be hosting.

After winning the toss and batting first, Sobhana Mostary top-scored with 36 for Bangladesh in a below par total of 119-7.

Their bowlers then strangled the Scotland reply and in spite of Sarah Bryce's 49 not out, the newcomers could only muster 103-7 in reply, handing Bangladesh their first win in a T20 World Cup in a decade.

It was a tough opener for both sides with temperatures hitting 38 degrees celsius and the batters stymied by a sluggish pitch and slow outfield.

There were just 15 fours in the match and no sixes to cheer the sparsely-populated stands.

The Bangladesh innings got off to a solid start with an opening partnership of 26 before Murshida Khatun, dropped on 12, slogged the next ball she faced from Katheryn Bryce to mid-on where Katherine Fraser took the catch.

Shathi Rani then combined with Sobhana Mostary to add 42 for the second wicket before Shathi's attempt to accelerate the scoring resulted in a skied catch to Saskia Horley at mid-on, her 29 coming off 32 balls.

Taj Nehar, on her 27th birthday, was run out for a duck before Mostary charged down the wicket to Olivia Bell and was comfortably stumped by Sarah Bryce for 36 from 38 balls.

The end of the innings fell away with Bangladesh's star batter Nigar Sultana Joty, playing her 100th T20I, falling in the final over for 18, a third wicket for Saskia Horley who finished with 3-13 in two overs.