Sports Desk:

Fargana Hoque became the first Bangladeshi women to score a hundred in one-day international during the third and final ODI against India at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.

She made 107 off 160 balls as the hosts made 225-4 in 50 overs.

The historic moment for Bangladesh women’s cricket arrived in the final delivery of the 48th over when Fargana took a double off a Shefali Verma delivery to complete her ton off 156 deliveries.

Fargana’s unbeaten 160-ball 107 is also the highest score by a Bangladeshi in ODIs. The previous highest score by a Bangladeshi woman batter was Salma Khatun unbeaten 75 against the same opponent in 2013.

With the series level at 1-1, Saturday’s match is an unofficial final.

Electing to bat, Bangladesh got off to a solid start as Fargana and Shamima Sultana stitched together a 93-run opening stand — the second-best opening stand for Bangladesh in the format after a 113-run stand between Sharmin Akhter and Shukhtara Rahman against Ireland in Savar in 2011.

Shamima’s 78-ball 52, one run shy off her career-best ODI score, came to an end in the 27th over when she was caught off a Sneh Rana delivery.

For India, Sneh Rana was the pick of the bowlers with 2-45.