Whenever we play, we play to win: Nahida

Bangladesh women’s cricket team will aim for a strong comeback against South Africa in their fourth ICC Women’s World Cup match on Monday at 3:30 PM BST in Visakhapatnam.

After starting with a win over Pakistan, Bangladesh narrowly lost to England and then suffered a heavy 100-run defeat to New Zealand, placing them sixth in the eight-team points table.

South Africa sit fourth, having rebounded after a poor start with wins over New Zealand and India.

Bangladesh’s slow left-arm bowler Nahida Akter expressed confidence ahead of the game but stressed the need to improve their batting, which collapsed in recent matches. “We’ve been working on those weaknesses and hope to bounce back,” she said.

The form of captain Nigar Sultana Joty, who has scored only 27 runs in three World Cup innings, is a concern, but Nahida believes other batters and Joty’s leadership will keep the team motivated.

Bangladesh’s pacer Marufa Akter impressed with her bowling, but the team management is yet to decide on bowler combinations based on conditions.

South African bowler Tumi Sekhukhune acknowledged Bangladesh’s strong spin attack, promising a tough contest. With three matches remaining, a Bangladesh victory is crucial to their tournament hopes.