Spirited Bangladesh brighten their chance to reach the super-10 of the ICC World Twenty20 frustrating fast growing Afghanistan by a huge nine wickets In a short lived opening match of the 16-nation meet at the home of Bangladesh cricket — Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium – at Mirpur on Sunday.
With the day’s well-merited victory, the Bengal Tigers not only went in the safe position for place in the 10-team main battle but also took revenge of their frustrating 32-run defeat against Afghanistan in the just-concluded Asia Cup Cricket in Dhaka.
Replying to Afghanistan negligible total of just 72 runs in 17.1 overs, hosts Bangladesh faced no trouble to score 78 runs in 12 overs, losing the only wicket of opener Tamim Iqbal.
Tamim Iqbal, who returned to the squad after recovery from injury, trapped leg before by Samiullah Shenwari scoring 21 runs off 27 balls featuring two boundaries, leaving the team total at 45 for 1 in 7.4 overs.
World famed all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, who bowled most economically to grab three wickets for 8 runs in his 3.1 overs spell, including two quick wickets in two successive balls in addition to 12-ball 10 runs with one boundary, was adjudged man of the match.
Opener Anamul Haque quickfired unconquered 44 runs off 33 deliveries with four fours and three sixes, including the match winner, by a long on-over boundary, off a Samiullah Shenwari ball amid thunderous cheers from almost jam-packed crowd in the big bowl.
Samiullah Shenwari bagged the lone Bangladesh wicket of Tamim Iqbal conceding 14 runs in his three-over spell.
Earlier, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim won the toss in a prefect batting pitch against ICC Associate member and war-torn Afghanistan, but surprisingly he decided to bowl first and justified his decision restricting his opponent to a poor total.
Injury-grabbed top-order batsman Tamim Iqbal, pacer Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Sabbir Rahman and Forhad Reza included in the day’s squad in place of Shamsur Rahman, Rubel Hossain and Shohag Gazi while Afghanistan recruit Najibullah Taraki in place of Najibullah Zadran in the day’s squad.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, who returned to the team from injury, made the early breakthrough dismissing reliable Afghan opener Mohammad Shehzad for a duck in the very first ball of the match.
Shehzad (0) was caught by Mahmudullah Riyad off a Mashrafe ball at cover with scoreboard showing zero for one wicket in 0.1 over.
In the 2nd wicket stand, another Afghan opener Najibullah Tarakai pairing with one down Gulbadin Naib tried their best to repair the early damage contributing 36 runs.
But Afghanistan ran into a deep trouble again as they lost three more quick wickets –Gulbadin Naib (21), Najibullah Tarkai (7) and Nawroz Mangal (0) – in the same score of 36 for 4 in 6.1 overs.
Shakib Al Hasan turned the match in Bangladesh favour taking two quick wickets in two successive balls dismissing Gulbadin Naib and Najib Tarakai to restrict the Afghans to 36 for 3 in 5.3 overs. Later, Shakib cut the Afghans tail bowled out Shapoor Zadran in 17.1 over to finish a good figure of 3.1-0-8-3.
One down Gulbadin Naib contributed the team highest 21 runs off 22 featuring three fours and six before he was caught by Sabbir Rahman while Tarakai scored 11-ball 7 runs with a boundary, caught by Nasir Hossain.
Later, Afghanistan losing the wickets on regular interval and were bowled out for 72 runs in 17.1 overs giving an easy passage for Bangladesh’s much desired victory.
During the batting debacle situation, number seven Shafiullah made a run-a-ball 16 including two fours while number six batsman Karim Sadiq scored a patient 23-ball 10 runs to reach the double digit.
Apart from Sakib Al Hasan three haul, spinner Abdur Razzak claimed two wickets for 20 runs in his four-over spell, Mahmudullah emerged as the most economic bowler taking one wicket for 8 runs in quota four overs with a maiden, Masharfe Bin Mortaza also grabbed one wicket for 8 in two overs while Forhad Reza bagged one wicket for two runs in one over.
Source: unbconnect
