Mushfiqur’s double ton puts B’desh on top vs Zimbabwe
Mithali said, “Well, that has always been my role of an opener in the team... it’s just that maybe because it was a big team we were playing (in) the first game, and we wanted somebody in the middle order, so experience does play a role when you want to push yourself down in the middle order.”
“I think today they felt that because there are spinners in the Pakistan side, and it would be wise to open,” she added.
Mithali said batting instinctively is her secret for scoring runs. “I think as an opener, I don’t think too much how to go about it, but as a batter, you would want to focus on the ball and play with instinct,” she said.
“Batting is all about instincts. You don’t plan and go there because obviously, the opponents have a different plan, and if you only want to stick to your plan, there is obviously a downfall. So as a batter, my focus is only to watch the ball and play instinctively, whether it is an aggressive shot or walking out for a single,” she added. DHAKA: Mushfiqur Rahim became the first wicketkeeper-batsman in history to score two double hundreds in Tests as Bangladesh built a strong total in the second Test against Zimbabwe in Dhaka on Monday.
Mushfiqur hit an unbeaten 219 to help Bangladesh declare their first innings at 522-7 an hour into the final session, before the hosts reduced Zimbabwe to 25 for one at stumps on the second day.
Taijul Islam removed Hamilton Masakadza for 14 after an edge flew to Mehidy Hasan at first slip for Bangladesh’s first breakthrough.
Masakadza was earlier spared when he was dropped at seven by Ariful Haque at first slip off the bowling of debutant Khaled Ahmed. Brian Chari, 10 not out, and nightwatchman Donald Tiripano (naught) prevented further damage.
Brief scores: Bangladesh (1st inngs, overnight 303-5) (522-7 decl) (M Rahim 219*, M Hasan 68, K Jarvis 5-71) vs Zimbabwe (1st inngs) (25-1) MUMBAI: Players had crucial lessons to take when both the matches in the ongoing ICC Women’s World T20 on Sunday — India versus Pakistan and Ireland versus Australia — witnessed teams being penalised for their batsmen running in the ‘danger area’.
Pakistan were docked a fiverun penalty twice against India, while Ireland were handed a five-run penalty against the Southern Stars in the second game of the day.
India thus began their chase at 10/0 without a ball being bowled, and they sauntered to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan who had their players Nida Dar and Bismah Maroof being guilty of running on the pitch.
Both Nida (52) and Bismah (53) gave Pakistan’s faltering batting some momentum, but they were warned first in the 13th over as the ICC’S ‘Playing Conditions’ call for a first and final warning. The rule says the erroneous side can be penalised five runs after the first warning.
The first five-run penalty on Pakistan was imposed on the first ball of the 18th over, while the second came on the final ball of the same over.
The rule is important as the Providence Stadium in Guyana is hosting 11 matches over nine days of the tournament.
Pakistan captain Javeria Khan admitted her team was warned thrice. “I had a chat with the umpires and they told me that t hey warned the player thrice, and after warning three times, imposed the penalty,” she said.
There are times when I think about the team, whether it is the right time to move on, and I believe that now the team is settling.
MITHALI RAJ, On the future