Bangladesh fought back hard after being bowled out for 108 © AFP (File Photo)
Bangladesh fought back hard after being bowled out for 108 © AFP (File Photo)

 

By Nishad Pai Vaidya

 

Mar 20, 2014

 

Bangladesh sailed through to the Super-10s of the ICC World T20 2014, but not without a hiccup. A two-wicket defeat to Hong Kong gives them a lot to ponder as they were bowled out for a mere 108 and were in danger of elimination had Hong Kong scored then in 13.1 overs. Ultimately, Hong Kong got there in the last over, and this win would give them tremendous confidence.

 

Bangladesh wouldn’t be happy with their performance. It was a sub-standard performance with the bat as Hong Kong looked an inspired lot from the beginning. Tanwir Afzal snared Tamin Iqbal and Sabbir Rahman in the first over. Shakib Al Hasan and Anamul Haque brought some stability and took them past 50.

 

Later, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib played with bravado, moving across the crease, lofting over the bowler’s head. At 80 for three in 10 overs, Bangladesh were looking good. But then Shakib was dismissed and it started the dramatic slide. In the next six overs, they scored 23 runs and lost six wickets. Nadeem Ahmed finished with four for 21 and Nizakat Khan bagged three for 19.

 

Hong Kong started their run-chase with quite a bit of promise. Irfan Ahmed swatted a six over mid-wicket as it went miles in the air. In the second over, Waqas Barkat was out stumped as he charged to Shakib and missed. Ahmed continued to smash it around, hitting three fours and three sixes. They had moved to 44 off seven overs when Irfan was trapped leg-before by Shakib. That was where Hong Kong started to slip. They lost their next three wickets for only six runs in the next three overs.

 

That brought Munir Dar to the middle and he was calm in his innings and along with Nizakat Khan, he ensured that Hong Kong get through. In the end, wickets fell, but Dar held his own and in the 17th over, by Farhad Reza, he smashed two fours and a massive six to turn the tide in Hong Kong’s favour. He was dismissed when they were nine runs short, but Hong Kong still managed to cross the line under pressure. To add to the drama, there was another wicket. Haseeb Amjad finished the game with a six over cover; it was hit one-handed.

 

Although they did not get through in 13.1 overs to help Nepal, a win is nevertheless a good reward.

 

Brief scores:

 

Bangladesh 108  in 16.3 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 34; Tanwir Afzal 2 for 24, Nadeem Ahmed 4 for 21, Nizakat Khan 3 for 10) lost to Hong Kong 114 in 19.4 overs (Irfan Ahmed 34, Munir Dar 36; Shakib Al Hasan 3 for 9, Mahmudullah 2 for 13) by 2 wickets.

 

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