Bangladesh national women’s team marked their return to international cricket in a winning way as they hammered Zimbabwe counterparts by eight wickets in the three-match WODI series opener in Bulawayo on Wednesday.

The Tigresses, who previously played an international match during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia in March last year and also took part in a WODI two years back, left the host batters clueless as they bowled them all out for just 48 runs in 23.2 overs.

Jahanara Alam, Salma Khatun and Nahida Akter all chipped in with three wickets each for the visitors.

Precious Marange made the highest 17 runs for the Zimbabwe side while the remaining other batters failed to reach the double digit after they were sent into bat first.

Bangladesh lost both their openers early in the chase but Rumana Ahmed and Fargana Hoque remained unbeaten on 16 and 11 runs respectively as they raced towards victory, 49-2, in 10.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

It was also Bangladesh’s biggest ever win by wickets as well as by balls remaining in the second innings in their WODI history.

Bangladesh’s newly appointed ODI skipper Nigar Sultana Joty missed the series opener due to her finger and thumb injuries and Fahima Khatun led the side in her absence in the match.