<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">An all-round performance by Shorna Akhter helped Bangladesh women's cricket team to clinch the country's first medal, a bronze, in the ongoing 19th Asian Games Cricket in Hangzhou on Monday (September 25).</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two-time Asian Games silver medalists Bangladesh women's cricket team won their games first medal beating Pakistan by five wickets in a 3rd place deciding play-off match at the Zhejiang University of Technology Cricket ground in Hangzhou Monday morning.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Shorna, 16- year old all-rounder from Jamalpur district, grabbed three wickets for 16 runs in four overs to restrict Pakistan for a low total of 64 for 9 in allocated 20 overs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Later, she guided Bangladesh towards the victory scoring the match- winner 65 runs for the loss of five wickets in 18.2 overs, contributing the team highest unbeaten 14 runs off 33 balls.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sent into bat first in the match, Pakistan women's team folded their innings for only 64 runs for 9 in stipulated 20 overs with lower order Aliya Riaz (17), captain Nida Dar (14), Sadaf Shams (13) and Natalia Pervaiz (11) were the notable scorers reaching the double digit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apart from Shorna's three wickets haul, Sanjida Akter claimed two wickets for 11 runs in four overs while Marufa Akter, Rabeya Khan and Nahida Akter took one Pakistani wicket each.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For Bangladesh, two openers Shamima Sultana and Shathi Rani made 27 runs in the first wicket stand scoring 13 runs each apart from Shorna Akter's 14 runs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nashra Sandhu captured three Bangladesh wickets giving 10 runs while Nida Dar and Sadia iqbal shared one wicket each.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Earlier, Bangladesh reached the semifinal as they declared winner against Hong Kong in a rain- marred quarter final in Hangzhou last Friday as their ICC ranking is higher than the Hong Kong.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But in the semifinal, Bangladesh lost to their giant neighbour India by eight wickets to join the bronze medal battle with Pakistan. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>