WATCH: Rabeya Khan traps Georgia Plimmer as New Zealand loses key opener against Bangladesh in Women’s World Cup 2025 game

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ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 witnessed a gripping contest as New Zealand Women faced Bangladesh Women in the 11th match of the tournament held at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on October 10, 2025. Both teams came into the match eager for their first win in the tournament after disappointing starts. New Zealand, led by Sophie Devine, who has been a standout performer despite her team’s struggles, chose to bat first after winning the toss. Bangladesh, under Nigar Sultana’s captaincy, relied on their disciplined bowling attack that had already troubled strong teams earlier in the competition. The match’s early moments turned intense with Bangladesh striking early breakthroughs to put New Zealand on the back foot.

The highlight of the match so far was the bowling performance of Bangladesh’s Rabeya Khan, who delivered a crucial blow by trapping one of New Zealand’s key openers, Georgia Plimmer. Rabeya’s delivery was a well-pitched ball outside off, slightly drifting in and spinning away just enough to deceive Plimmer.

Attempting to attack, Plimmer skipped down the pitch but misjudged the flight and length, unable to reach the ball. The ball clipped the edge and was safely pouched by the wicketkeeper Sultana, resulting in an early wicket for Bangladesh. Plimmer’s innings ended at a modest four runs off 18 balls, continuing her indifferent World Cup form. This wicket marked New Zealand’s first loss in the customary powerplay stage, putting immediate pressure on the top order.

— Blablabla (@Bhaukal_ba1) October 10, 2025

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Bangladesh capitalized on the early momentum. Rabeya’s spell of tight bowling yielded two crucial wickets for just five runs in 1.2 overs, showcasing her control and effectiveness in the spin-friendly conditions of Guwahati. Following Plimmer’s dismissal, New Zealand lost two more wickets quickly, including the influential Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr, disappointing starts for the Kiwis’ batting lineup. At 22 overs, New Zealand was struggling at 77/3, with the captain Devine and Brooke Halliday at the crease trying to stabilize the innings. Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling, backed by tight fielding, made scoring difficult, underlining their rise as a challenging side in women’s cricket.

For Bangladesh, the spin trio of Rabeya, Fahima Khatun, and Nahida Akter have been instrumental throughout the tournament in applying pressure and taking key wickets. Their recent performance in Guwahati, where spinners have taken 75% of the wickets, highlights how well-suited the conditions are for their style. New Zealand’s right-hand dominant batting order is being put to the test by the quality and consistency of Bangladesh’s spin attack.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.