A 31-run defeat to Pakistan in Tuesday's bronze-medal playoff has left Bangladesh women’s cricket team without a podium finish at the Asian Games for the very first time.

Set 146 to win at the Korogi Sports Park, Bangladesh were reduced to 20-3 inside the first six overs.

Skipper Nigar Sultana Joty – playing her last match as the T20I skipper – and Sharmin Akhter steadied the ship with a fourth-wicket stand of 47, but the recovery came too slowly to matter.

By the time Joty was out for 25, Bangladesh needed almost 11 an over to stay in the hunt.

The required rate was too much for the Bangladesh batters as the team finished on 114-7 from their 20 overs, with Sharmin unbeaten on 46.

Pakistan off-spinner Umm-e-Hani was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3-10.

Pakistan needed a repair job of their own after choosing to bat first. Openers Gull Feroza and Shawaal Zulfiqar put on 46, but three wickets fell quickly to leave the innings at 67-5.

Captain Fatima Sana rebuilt with a 30-ball 45, adding 67 with Aliya Riaz (25) to get Pakistan to a defendable 145-8. Nahida, Shorna Akter and Ritu Moni claimed two wickets each.

This is the fourth time Bangladesh have contested in the women’s cricket event in the Asian Games and for the first time will return home without a medal.

They won silver medals in Guangzhou in 2010 and Incheon in 2014, then bronze in Hangzhou in 2023.

India will face Sri Lanka in Tuesday's gold-medal match.