Sobhana Mostary’s maiden ODI century shines despite Bangladesh’s defeat to Australia
Bangladesh batter Sobhana Mostary made history in Brisbane with a superb maiden one-day international century, but her landmark innings could not prevent Australia from securing a nine-wicket victory in the second match of the series. The hosts chased down Bangladesh’s total of 220 for six in just 28.1 overs, reaching 221 for one with 131 balls remaining and taking an unassailable 2-0 lead.
Mostary’s 118 from 134 deliveries was a major achievement for Bangladesh women’s cricket. It was the first ODI century by a Bangladesh batter against Australia and the first by a Bangladeshi woman on Australian soil. Although the result was one-sided, her innings offered a striking example of how patience, preparation and a clear scoring plan can help a batter succeed against a formidable bowling attack.
Using the square of the wicket to find scoring opportunities
Mostary said her confidence playing square of the wicket helped her adapt to the conditions at Allan Border Field. The cut shot is one of her preferred strokes, she explained, and she has practised it since she was young. Rather than trying to force runs through every area, she focused on waiting for deliveries that suited her strengths.
“My shots square of the wicket have always been good. I like to play cut shots,” Mostary told Cricbuzz after the match. She said she continued to trust that approach even when conditions were turning or the ball was staying low, situations in which batters may be tempted to abandon their usual game.
Advice from Bangladesh’s support staff also helped reinforce her plan. Before the match, team analyst Shaon encouraged her to look for scoring chances square of the wicket, while Supta Apu reminded her that her cut shot could be an effective source of runs. Those observations gave Mostary useful context about the conditions and helped her approach the Australian attack with a specific idea in mind.
Mostary also praised Australia’s bowlers, noting that they were disciplined and consistently targeted good areas. She felt the pitch itself was good for batting, but recognised that making runs required careful shot selection. Her innings showed how a batter can respond to accurate bowling: defend or rotate strike against the deliveries that offer little opportunity, then capitalise when a ball enters a preferred scoring zone.
Composure after Bangladesh’s early collapse
The scale of Mostary’s achievement becomes clearer when viewed against Bangladesh’s difficult start. The visitors were reduced to eight for three, leaving them in urgent need of a partnership simply to stabilise the innings. Mostary joined captain Nigar Sultana at the crease, and the pair focused first on rebuilding rather than immediately chasing a large total.
Mostary said she was not thinking about a century when she came to the middle. Her first priority was to remain composed and help Bangladesh recover from the early damage. Reaching 50 changed her outlook: only then did she begin to believe that a hundred might be within reach.
That measured progression was central to her innings. In a high-pressure situation, she avoided letting the scoreboard dictate every decision. Instead, she concentrated on the next delivery, built a partnership and gradually expanded her scoring. Her comments underline an important lesson for developing batters: a major milestone often begins with a smaller, immediate objective.
A patient plan against a disciplined bowling attack
Mostary described her approach as a process of waiting for the right ball. Australia offered few loose deliveries, so she resisted the temptation to manufacture boundaries. When the bowlers hit their intended areas, she defended or took a single. When they gave her room to play square, she looked to score.
She said much of her scoring came through square cuts and shots through the cover region. The plan was not simply to attack; it was to identify which deliveries could be turned into boundaries while keeping the innings moving against everything else. That balance allowed her to bat for 134 balls and give Bangladesh a platform after its top order had faltered.
For cricket followers assessing the match, Mostary’s performance offers a useful contrast between individual success and team outcome. Her century was a historic personal and national milestone, but Australia’s rapid chase also demonstrated the difference between the sides on the day. Bangladesh’s total of 220 for six was built largely around her resistance, while Australia’s batters converted their start into a decisive finish.
What the result means for the series
Australia’s nine-wicket win confirmed a series victory with one match still to play. The hosts’ chase, completed in fewer than 29 overs, highlighted their ability to maintain pressure with both bat and ball. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will have to look beyond the final margin and consider how to support promising individual performances with stronger starts and greater contributions across the batting order.
Mostary’s innings nevertheless gives Bangladesh plenty to build on. Her success against a leading international attack showed the value of playing to personal strengths, using advice from analysts and coaches, and remaining patient when scoring options are limited. Those qualities will be important as the team continues to develop its batting depth and compete against stronger opponents.
There is no reliable prediction that one historic innings will immediately change a team’s results, but Mostary’s century provides a meaningful sign of potential. It demonstrated that Bangladesh batters can construct substantial innings in challenging circumstances and find scoring routes even against disciplined bowling. The next challenge will be turning that individual promise into more competitive team totals and sustained pressure throughout a match.
For Mostary, the Brisbane century will remain a defining moment: a record-breaking achievement shaped not by reckless hitting, but by preparation, patience and a willingness to wait for the ball she could play best. Even in defeat, her performance gave Bangladesh women’s cricket a memorable milestone and offered fans an encouraging glimpse of what may be possible in future contests.
