For the Tigresses, the numbers reaffirm a sense of gradual progress.

She comes from Barisal, from a home where cricket wasn’t supposed to be a daughter’s dream.

As Bangladesh head to Visakhapatnam for their next two matches against South Africa and Australia on October 13 and 16, they will hope their captain can rediscover her touch to keep their World Cup campaign alive.

Rabeya Khan struck twice, while Bates was run out after a 33-ball 29 -- laced with six fours -- leaving New Zealand struggling at 39 for three after 12 overs.

Over the last two years, young leg spinner Rabeya Khan has emerged as a permanent member in Bangladesh women’s team squads in white-ball cricket. Consistent performances with the ball and the ability to score runs down the order has earned the 19-year-old the stamp of approval from her skipper Nigar Sultana Joty and head coach Hashan Tillakaratne. Before the team’s departure for the T20 World Cup in the UAE, Rabeya spoke with The Daily Star’s Samsul Arefin Khan where she opened up about her bittersweet journey in cricket and what she hopes to achieve in the upcoming tournament. Here are the excerpts:

Opener Shathi Rani scored a fifty before leggie Rabeya Khan claimed a four-fer as Bangladesh women’s ‘A’ team crushed their Sri Lankan counterparts by 104 runs in the second T20 contest of the ongoing five-match series in Colombo today.

Bangladesh pacer Marufa Akter and leg-spinner Rabeya Khan were included in the auction list of the upcoming Women’s Indian Premier League (WIPL) next year.