Ayollar kriket bo`yicha 2025-yilgi Jahon Kubogida Bangladesh terma jamoasi yuqori darajadagi raqiblariga kuchli bosim o`tkazishiga qaramay, qayta-qayta mag`lub bo`lmoqda. Angliyani deyarli mag`lub etganidan so`ng, ular Janubiy Afrikaga qarshi o`yinda ham shunga o`xshash taqdirga duch kelishdi. Ular uchta viket farqi bilan yutqazdilar, bunga asosan maydondagi muhim xatolar va kechki shabnam sabab bo`ldi.
Yaqinda o`tkazilgan ikkita o`yinda Bangladesh raqiblarini 78 ga 5 holatiga tushirishga muvaffaq bo`ldi, bu g`alabaga olib kelishi kerak bo`lgan xavfli vaziyat edi. Angliyaga qarshi ular 178 ballni jasorat bilan himoya qildilar. Dushanba kuni ular Janubiy Afrikaga qarshi raqobatbardosh 232 ballni qo`lga kiritdilar. Biroq, tushib ketgan katchlar – jami uchta, ularning ikkitasi muhim vaziyatlarda sodir bo`lgani – qimmatga tushdi, Janubiy Afrikaga uchta viket farqi bilan o`yinni yutish imkonini berdi.
Kapitan Nigar Sultana kechki shabnam tufayli boulingchilarning aniqligini yo`qotganini ta`kidladi, bu esa to`pni ushlashni qiyinlashtirgan. U shuningdek, bosim ostida xotirjamlikni saqlash natijani o`zgartirishi mumkinligini aytdi.
«To`pni ushlash juda qiyin edi, atrofda shabnam bor edi,» dedi Sultana matbuot anjumanida. «To`p ho`l edi… Bu juda qiyin edi. Bosim bor edi va boulingchilar uchun to`pni ushlash, shuningdek, filderlar uchun ham juda qiyin edi. Men hech qanday bahona keltirmoqchi emasman. Lekin shunga qaramay, bunday sharoitda o`zingizni xotirjam tutishingiz kerak. Biz o`sha imkoniyatlarni boy berdik, balki o`sha katchlarni ushlaganimizda, natija boshqacha bo`lishi mumkin edi.»
Maydondagi xatolar Rabeya Xon Janubiy Afrika sardori Laura Wolvaardtni 11 ball bilan tushirib yuborganida boshlandi, u keyinchalik 31 ball to`pladi. O`yin keskinlashgani sari, Bangladesh yana ikkita muhim imkoniyatni boy berdi. Zaxira o`yinchisi Sumaiya Akter, Xloe Trayon 46 ball bilan turganida va Janubiy Afrikaga 42 to`pdan 53 ball kerak bo`lganida, uning zarbasini ushlay olmadi. Keyinroq, Janubiy Afrikaga 8 to`pdan atigi 9 ball kerak bo`lganida, Shorna Akter Nadin de Klerkning oddiy katchini tushirib yubordi, u 26 ball bilan turgan edi. Xavfli formadagi de Klerk keyingi ovrda to`rt va g`alaba keltiruvchi olti ball bilan g`alabani ta`minladi.
Mag`lubiyatga qaramay, Nigar jamoasining harakatlaridan faxrlanishini bildirdi. «Men xafa emasman, men faxrlanaman,» dedi u. «Qizlarning har bir to`p uchun kurashganini ko`rib. Yaqin o`yinni nazorat qilish biz uchun oson emas edi. Jamoamning 110% kuch sarflaganini ko`rib, kapitan sifatida xursandman.»
U bunday yaqin o`yinlarda mag`lub bo`lish afsusli ekanligini tan oldi, ammo jamoaning yaxshilanish salohiyatini ta`kidladi. «Albatta, afsus bo`ladi, chunki agar biz bunday yaqin o`yinlarda g`alaba qozonganimizda, bu jamoa uchun ajoyib lahza bo`lar edi. Bizda yaxshilanish uchun ko`p joy bor. Biz oxirgi uchta o`yinda yaxshiroq o`ynashni xohlaymiz.»
Shabnamni kutgan holda, tossni yutib, birinchi navbatda batti qilish qarori savollar tug`dirdi. Marufa Akter Janubiy Afrika inningsining boshidanoq to`pni tez-tez sochiq bilan quritayotgani ko`rindi. Nigar bu qarorni ilgari ularning keyinroq batti qilish usuli ish bermaganligi bilan izohladi, masalan, Yangi Zelandiyaga qarshi o`yinda 228 ballni quvishga urinib, ular atigi 128 ball bilan mag`lub bo`lishgan.
«Keyinroq batti qilish biz uchun ishlamayotgan edi,» deb tushuntirdi Nigar. «Bizning battarlarimiz powerplayda ball to`play olishmadi. Biz shuningdek erta viketlarni yo`qotdik. Dastlab, birinchi navbatda batti qilish va boulingchilarga nimadir [himoya qilish uchun] berish bizning rejamiz edi, chunki ular yaxshi o`ynashmoqda… Biz battarlarimizga bosimsiz vaqt berishni xohladik. Biz ularga [Janubiy Afrikaga] bouling kuchimiz bilan, biroz ballar bilan bosim o`tkazishni xohladik.»
Garchi Bangladeshning yuqori tartibli battarlari Janubiy Afrikaga qarshi ehtiyotkorlik bilan boshlagan bo`lsalar ham, Shorna Akterning 35 to`pdan 51 balli tezkor natijasi ularga 232 ballga yetishga yordam berdi. Biroq, bu umumiy ball yakunda yetarli bo`lmadi.
Nigar yakunida ular maqsadlaridan «15-20 ball kam» bo`lganini va yuqori tartibning to`pni ko`proq almashtirishi va yaxshi maydon harakatlari g`alabani ta`minlashi mumkinligini aytdi. «Biz xafa bo`lmasligimiz kerak,» deb ta`kidladi u.
English Version
«It Was Very Difficult»: Dew and Dropped Catches Dampen Bangladesh`s Spirits in World Cup Thriller
Bangladesh women`s cricket team, despite putting strong pressure on top opponents in the Women`s World Cup 2025, repeatedly finds itself on the losing side. After nearly upsetting England, they faced a similar fate against South Africa, losing a close encounter by three wickets, largely due to crucial fielding errors and the challenges posed by evening dew.
In two recent matches, Bangladesh managed to reduce opponents to 78 for 5, a precarious position that should have led to victory. Against England, they defended 178 valiantly. On Monday, they set a competitive 232 for South Africa. However, dropped catches—three in total, with two coming at critical junctures—proved costly, allowing South Africa to clinch the thriller by three wickets.
Captain Nigar Sultana attributed the bowlers` inaccuracy in the closing overs to heavy dew, which made gripping the ball difficult. She also suggested that maintaining composure under pressure could have altered the outcome.
«Gripping the ball was quite difficult, there was dew around,» Sultana stated in the post-match press conference. «The ball was wet… It was very difficult. Pressure is on and it was very difficult for the bowlers to grip the balls and for the fielders also. I don`t want to give any excuses. But still, in this sort of condition, you have to keep your nerves calm. We missed those chances, maybe if we could hold on to those catches, the result would be different.»
The fielding woes began early when Rabeya Khan dropped South African captain Laura Wolvaardt on 11, who went on to score 31. As the chase intensified, Bangladesh dropped two more crucial chances. Substitute Sumaiya Akter failed to hold onto Chloe Tryon`s shot when Tryon was on 46 and South Africa needed 53 from 42 balls. Later, with South Africa needing just 9 runs from 8 balls, Shorna Akter dropped a straightforward catch off Nadine de Klerk, who was on 26. De Klerk, showing her dangerous form, then sealed the win with a four and a six in the very next over.
Despite the loss, Nigar expressed pride in her team`s effort. «I am not disappointed, I am proud,» she said. «The way the girls fought for every ball. It wasn`t easy for us to keep a close game in control. I am happy as a captain seeing my team give 110%.»
She acknowledged the regret of losing such close matches but emphasized the team`s potential for improvement. «Certainly, there`ll be regret because if we would have won such close matches, it would have been a great moment for the team. We have a lot of room for improvement. We want to do better in the last three games.»
The decision to bat first after winning the toss, despite anticipating dew, raised questions. Marufa Akter was seen frequently drying the ball from the start of South Africa`s innings. Nigar explained that chasing hadn`t worked for them previously, citing a poor batting performance against New Zealand where they were skittled for 128 after attempting to chase 228.
«Chasing actually was not working for us,» Nigar explained. «Our batters couldn`t get runs in the powerplay. We lost also early wickets. Initially, it was our plan to bat first and give the bowlers something [to defend] because they have been doing well… We wanted to give our batters a pressure-free time. We wanted to put pressure on them [South Africa] with our bowling strength, with a bit of runs behind them.»
Although Bangladesh`s top order started cautiously against South Africa, Shorna Akter`s quickfire 51 not out off 35 balls helped them reach 232. However, this total proved insufficient.
Nigar concluded by suggesting they were «15-20 runs short» and that better strike rotation from the top order and improved fielding could have secured the win. «We shouldn`t be disappointed or heartbroken,» she urged.
