Nahida Akter made history as the first Bangladesh woman to claim 100 wickets in T20 Internationals during her team’s 16-run victory over Scotland in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup opener in Sharjah. The 24-year-old left-arm spinner reached this milestone in her 88th match, becoming the second-youngest player globally to achieve 100 T20I wickets, behind Rwanda’s Henriette Ishimwe.
Nahida’s historic wicket sealed Bangladesh’s win, restricting Scotland in their chase of 120 runs. This victory also marked Bangladesh’s first-ever T20 World Cup win away from home. Nahida’s brilliance has been consistent, as she became the first Bangladeshi to win the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award in November 2023, a testament to her dominance in international cricket.
Bangladesh’s innings, after winning the toss and batting first, saw openers Shathi Rani and Sobhana Mostary provide a solid start. Sobhana anchored the innings with a composed 36 off 38 balls, while Rani added a crucial 29 runs. Scotland fought back with Saskia Horley’s excellent 3/13, limiting Bangladesh to 119/7.
Scotland’s chase struggled as Nahida and Ritu Moni (2/15) bowled tightly, dismantling their top order. Although Sarah Jennifer Bryce remained unbeaten on 49, Scotland fell short. Nahida’s final wicket not only secured the win but also etched her name into Bangladesh cricket history, further solidifying her status as the backbone of their bowling attack.
