Bangladesh Opens Super Four with a Thrilling 4-Wicket Victory Over Sri Lanka
NN ONLINE:
Bangladesh made a mockery of Sri Lanka bowling to claim a four-wicket victory in emphatic fashion for a winning start to the Asia Cup Super Fours at Dubai International Cricket Stadium today.
Pace bowler Mustafizur Rahman gave Bangladesh an occasion to roar back when he finished with 3-20 in four overs, a bowling figures that restricted Sri Lanka to 168-7 in a pitch what looked like a batting paradise.
Bangladesh chased the target effortlessly with opener Saif Hasan and middle order batter Towhid Hridoy hitting fifties to take the side over the line in the penultimate delivery.Saif played a decisive 61 off 45, laced with two fours and four sixes, his maiden fifty in a winning cause. Hridoy used the foundation, led by Saif to good effect, hitting 37 ball-58 with four fours and two sixes.
Together they edged Bangladesh closer to victory with 54 runs for the third wicket. In between captain Liton Das accompanies Said in steadying the ship after inform Tanzid Hasan Tamim was out for duck in the first over.
Liton made 23 and in doing so went past Shakib Al Hasan as the highest run-getter for Bangladesh in T20 Internationals.Wanindu Hasaranga broke the partnership between Saif and Hirdoy, baffling the former with a googly to give Sri Lanka a glimmer of hope.
But that was dashed by Hridoy who cut through Lankan bowling in surgical manner before he was trapped leg-before by Dushmanth Chameera with Bangladesh needing 10 runs for a victory in just nine balls.
Bangladesh went into the last over with just five runs needing to sing off the game and Jaker Ali Anik hit a boundary to level the score.
A facile victory was not sight but a drama unfolded when Dasun Shanaka took two wickets in three balls, leaving Bangladesh one run for victory in the last two balls.Nasum Ahmed took the winning shot, preventing the side from a Super over.
Shanaka ended with 2-21, a best bowling figure for Sri Lanka in the forgettable night. He did his best with the willow too, smashing a 37 ball-64 not out which gave Sri Lanka bowlers something to defend.On a night when Mustafizur shone like bright star, Shanaka’s stubborn show was not enough.
Displaying an intriguing show of cutter and slower on a benign pitch, Mustafizur, adorable called as ‘Cutter Master’ stemmed the run flow, returning an admirable figure.Mahedi Hasan complemented Mustafizur Rahman with 2-25 while Taskin Ahmed grabbed 1-37.
Bangladesh captain Liton Das sent Sri Lanka to bat first but the decision looked imprudent with Lankan openers making the carnage right from the outset. Kusal Mendis hit one four and three sixes to strike 34 off 25 while his opening partner Pathum Nissanka was aggressive enough if not like Mendis, hitting 22 off 15.
Together they put on 44 in five overs, before Taskin struck with the wicket of Nissanka.Mahedi Hasan then blew Sri Lanka further with the wicket of Mendis, paving his side’s way to claw back into the game.
The bowlers bowled impeccably in the middle overs, generally the weakest link of Bangladesh, to stall Sri Lanka’s progress.However, Shanaka stood tall to single-handedly kept the side on course of anything closer to 200.
With set Shanaka in the crease, Sri Lanka looked indomitable but Mustafizur delivered an excellent death over bowling that saw him conceded only four runs in the penultimate over for two wickets.
That over turned the tide as Sri Lanka were held back below 170, giving Bangladesh batters a chance to overhaul the target with relative ease.