England survived a tense chase to defeat Bangladesh by four wickets in Guwahati, climbing to the top of the Women’s World Cup standings. Chasing 179, England were in deep trouble at 103 for six before captain Heather Knight and Charlie Dean steadied the innings with a patient 79-run stand that secured the win. The result came despite a spirited Bangladesh performance and a string of contentious umpiring decisions that went against them.
Knight, playing her first one-day innings since January, was reprieved three times through the Decision Review System (DRS). On two occasions, TV umpire rulings overturned on-field “out” decisions, leaving Bangladesh visibly frustrated. First, an apparent edge behind the stumps was judged inconclusive by UltraEdge, and later, a diving catch by Shorna Akter was ruled not cleanly taken. Knight also survived an lbw review after using DRS successfully, turning what could have been another early dismissal into a match-winning contribution.
Admitting her good fortune, Knight said she was relieved to find form after an injury layoff. Her composed half-century proved vital as England overcame a jittery start against disciplined Bangladesh bowling. The absence of Marufa Akter, who left the field for the final 15 overs, further eased England’s path to victory.
Despite their defeat, Bangladesh can take pride in a competitive performance that pushed one of the tournament’s top-ranked teams to the limit. Their total of 178 was anchored by Sobhana Mostary’s maiden half-century, scored off 92 balls, and a late surge from Rabeya Khan, who smashed 43 from 27 balls. Captain Nigar Sultana urged her side to maintain intensity until the final delivery, and Bangladesh did just that, taking wickets regularly and applying pressure throughout England’s chase.
England’s narrow escape came at the cost of a significant dent to their net run rate, which had looked strong following their emphatic 10-wicket victory over South Africa earlier in the tournament. They now sit narrowly above Australia, who were affected by a rain washout against Sri Lanka.
While England’s resilience under pressure was commendable, questions remain over their consistency and ability to handle tense moments. For Bangladesh, this performance—though ending in defeat—showed growing maturity and competitiveness on the world stage, even amid controversy.
