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New Zealand, led by their in-form batters, posted a total of 227 on the board, setting Bangladesh a challenging target. In response, Bangladesh’s chase never really took off as the top order collapsed early, putting immense pressure on the middle and lower order. Only Fahima Khatun and Rabeya Khan showed some resistance, putting together a crucial 44-run stand that briefly steadied the innings after the inevitable collapse followed.

At the post-match press conference, Rabeya Khan did not mince words as she spoke candidly about the team’s recurring batting struggles. “You can directly ask the batters for it. No matter how much the lower order will step up if the top order doesn’t score runs, that won’t help. So, batters have collapsed,” she stated firmly, highlighting the core issue that continues to haunt Bangladesh.

Rabeya also came to the defence of skipper Nigar Sultana Joty, who is having a difficult run with the bat despite her dedication and preparation. “Our skipper Joty has had a lot of practice sessions, and if runs don’t come from her bat, it can happen sometimes in the game,” Rabeya said, acknowledging that even the most consistent players can go through lean phases.

When asked if New Zealand’s pace attack benefited from favourable conditions, Rabeya dismissed the idea of any major change in the surface. “The wicket was the same, the fact that we weren’t able to play well,” she admitted, accepting responsibility rather than blaming external factors.
 

Reflecting on the team’s consecutive defeats, Rabeyemphasised that the focus now must shift to addressing the batting shortcomings while maintaining balance across all departments. “We have lost the last match and today’s match. The main thing is that batting collapse next time will look to concentrate on the batting unit, bowling and fielding unit,” she explained.

Speaking about her partnership with Fahima Khatun, which was one of the few positives from the game, Rabeya described their mindset during the middle overs. “Our batters have lost early wickets; we had many overs, so Fahima and I were building to stay in the crease, a nd the more we take singles now, we can cover ahead,” she said, underlining their intent to rebuild patiently amidst the chaos.

Despite the defeat, Bangladesh will look to take learnings from this performance and bounce back stronger in their upcoming matches. With bowlers consistently delivering and glimpses of fighting spirit from the lower order, the next challenge for the Tigresses will be to convert starts into partnerships and bring consistency to their batting lineup.