Bangladesh women’s cricket team suffered their first medal-less Asian Games campaign after losing to Pakistan by 31 runs in the bronze medal contest in Japan on Tuesday.
Chasing 146, Bangladesh slipped to 20-3 before captain Nigar Sultana Joty and Sharmin Akhter added 47 for the fourth wicket at Korogi Sports Park.
The partnership helped steady the innings, but Bangladesh struggled to score quickly enough. The slow pace pushed the required run rate close to 11 an over and left the chase beyond reach.
Joty, playing her final match as Bangladesh captain, made 25 off 30 balls before her dismissal. Sharmin remained unbeaten on 45 off 46, while Nahida Akter made 10 off six as Bangladesh finished on 114-7 from their 20 overs.
Pakistan off-spinner Umm-e-Hani claimed three wickets to restrict the Bangladesh lower order.
Earlier, Pakistan made a solid start after choosing to bat, with their openers putting on 46 runs. Bangladesh’s bowlers then fought back, reducing Pakistan to 67-5.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana produced the decisive contribution, hitting 45 off 30 balls and sharing a 67-run partnership with Aliya Riaz, who made 25 off 22. Pakistan eventually finished on 145-8.
Nahida Akter, Shorna Akter and Ritu Moni took two wickets each for Bangladesh.
The defeat ended a medal run that had stretched across Bangladesh’s three previous Asian Games appearances in women’s cricket.
Bangladesh made their Asian Games debut in Guangzhou in 2010 and won silver. They repeated that achievement in Incheon in 2014 before taking bronze in Hangzhou in 2023 after defeating Pakistan.
This time, Pakistan reversed that result in the bronze medal contest, leaving Bangladesh without a medal for the first time.
India will face Sri Lanka in the gold medal match later on Tuesday.
