The 18-year-old broke new ground against South Africa, hitting Bangladesh’s fastest fifty in ODIs
Vishal Dikshit15-Oct-2025When Bangladesh middle-order batter Shorna Akter shovelled Nadine de Klerk over long-on in their last game, the dressing room stood up for raucous applause. They were riding high on watching her spell-binding sixes. Shorna herself would have been chuffed – her third six propelled Bangladesh towards a competitive total, it was her hardest hit of the night, and it took her closer to her maiden half-century.It would have hardly hit her – if she knew at all – that nobody else had even struck three sixes in an innings for Bangladesh in their 14-year ODI history of 81 games. And that wasn’t the only record the 18-year-old broke that night. In the next over, when she ran a second for the overthrow from wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta, Shorna also registered the fastest half-century for Bangladesh in ODI. She reached the milestone off 34 balls, breaking her captain Nigar Sultana’s record of 39 balls from the World Cup Qualifiers earlier this year.Shorna’s power-hitting against an experienced South Africa attack hit everyone watching like a draught of cold air in a warm room. Bangladesh had ambled along to 150 for 3 in 40 overs, at under four an over, after a cautious start from the openers. Even touching 200 at the time seemed like a slightly distant dream because of the lack of power-hitters in their line-up.Related
With knockouts in sight, India aim to fine-tune against Bangladesh
From bowler to blazer: Nilakshika Silva's 26-ball statement to the world
Rain, redemption and a race for the semis: SL face SA in crucial Colombo clash
'It was very difficult' – dew and drops dampen Bangladesh's spirits
Can Bangladesh spring a surprise on heavyweights Australia?
That’s when Shorna entered, ahead of the more experienced Sobhana Mostary. On her second ball she confidently swept Nonkululeko Mlaba, one of the best bowlers of the tournament, for a four. On her eighth delivery, she danced down to attack Chloe Tryon, another left-arm spinner, to send the ball sailing over the fielder stationed at long-on for her first six. South Africa would have hardly recovered from that when she dispatched Tumi Sekhukhune over long-on too. Bangladesh were suddenly racing towards 200 with more than four overs to go. For a batter who had a high score of 29 not out before this, and an ODI strike rate of just 61 in 17 innings, this daredevilry was stunning.After all the dabs, nudges, gentle flicks and some boundary strokes that relied mostly on timing from Bangladesh for 40 overs, Shorna came out all guns blazing, with a high backlift and a flourishing swing of the bat, exhibiting much more striking power than her team-mates.”She came in with really good intent,” Tryon said of Shorna after that game. “We knew we had to play with her pace, try and get under the bat as much as we could and she has a beautiful swing. I’ve watched her over the years and just see the talent that she has. So, we just knew that we didn’t want to let her get away from us and I felt like she did. Yeah, I feel like we just could have got a better plan towards that. But yeah, she played a good innings and I’ll give that to her.”Shorna’s third six was hit the hardest and it went the longest – 77 meters – as the cameras zoomed in on the young face under the helmet with steely-eyed determination before she bowed for the .She first emerged on screens around the world in the inaugural Under-19 World Cup in 2023, when she was just 16. After growing up in Jamalpur, a small town about 170 kilometers north of Dhaka, she first featured in representative cricket in 2021 before playing in the domestic zonal tournament and then the Women’s Dhaka Premier League, the most high-profile domestic tournament for women in the country.Shorna does not change her approach when the chips are down•ICC/Getty ImagesSoon, she was picked for the Under-19 World Cup and finished as the top run-scorer for her team in South Africa with 153 runs and a strike rate of 157.73. She also hit six sixes, the joint second-most, only behind Shafali Verma’s seven. The selectors fast-tracked her for a senior T20I debut next month, in February 2023, and an ODI debut in July.Shorna then played 35 T20Is and 18 ODIs until this World Cup, all this while training for her big hits and waiting for a day like the South Africa game. Having spotted her penchant for hitting big shots in training, the message from her captain and management was to stick to her natural game and not change her approach, even if the chips were down when she went out to bat.”She’s a very capable player,” Sultana said of Shorna after the South Africa match. “I’ve spoken about her before – she’s a powerful hitter and can rotate the strike really well. She used her skills brilliantly today. The way she batted was quite incredible, and she really helped our side reach a good total.”In a team not known for many aerial hits that clear the ropes, and in a tournament that has seen more collapses than big totals, Shorna is the breath of fresh air nobody saw coming.
