Bangladesh crashed out of the World Twenty20 after going down to a 50-run defeat against Pakistan in their Group 2 tie of the Super 10 on Sunday.
Chasing a huge 191, the hosts’ top order taken was care of before 50 was on the board and managed just 140 for 7 in their 20 overs at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
The result also takes Australia out of contention and they will now play India in a dead rubber at the same ground in a short time.Pakistan will play the West Indies on Tuesday and the winners of that game will go through to the semifinals.
During the chase, whenever Bangladesh’s batsmen looked for big hits to keep up with the soaring asking run rate, Pakistani bowlers pegged them back with wickets.
They fell so much behind the rate that there was still well over 100 runs to chase with only six overs left.
A flurry of wickets to Pakistan spinners saw the Tigers struggling at 53 for 4 after 10 overs as the top-order, yet again, crumbled down.
Tamim Iqbal (16) and Anamul Haque (18) gave their side a better start from the other matches, knocking off singles and a few boundaries.
Tamim did not last long though as he came down the track to chop Umar Gul on to the stumps.
In the next over, Anamul, who has looked like the Tigers’ best batsmen so far in the tournament, perished getting a leading edge to give Saeed Ajmal a low return catch.
Soon, Shamsur Rahman (4) nicked Shahid Afridi back to Kamran Akmal, the Pakistan wicket-keeper, to leave the crowd hushed.
Skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (2), who spoke of their top-order’s failure bringing the team down ahead of the match, played down the wrong line to a straight, flat one.
When he left, trapped leg-before by Zulfiqar Babar, his side was tottering at 47 for 4 in the 10th over.
Shakib Al Hasan and Nasir Hossain added 44 runs off 35 balls for a fifth wicket stand.
Shakib smashed two huge sixes to force the scoring, but three overs of singles that followed did not help.
Bangladesh’s last hope went with Shakib (38) when he cross-batted a short ball off Gul high in the air in the 15th over with the required run rate up around 20.
Adding another 21 runs with Mahmudullah for the sixth wicket, Nasir came down the track and missed a straighter Ajmal delivery to be stumped.
Mahmudullah and Mashrafe, both remaining 17 not out, struck some boundaries towards the end when all hope was lost.
Gul (3-30) and Ajmal (2-20) shared five wickets while Babar and Afridi picked a wicket each for Pakistan.
Pakistan were 50 for 1 after their six overs’ powerplay and added 115 runs in the last 10 overs and 60 in their last five overs of their innings.
Electing to bat first, Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad scored Pakistan’s first century in the format to power his team to a formidable 190 for 5.
The opener scored blistering 62-ball 111. He laced his innings with 10 boundaries and five sixes. His century off 58 balls was the second of the tournament after England’s Alex Hales.
The opener, who was adjudged Man of the Match for his scintillating knock, cracked a flurry of boundaries to get his side off to a flying start.
He was particularly harsh on Bangladesh paceman Mashrafe Mortaza, who went for 63 runs in his four overs, with no wickets to show.
The other opener Kamran Akmal (9) was the first batsman to be sent back when he swept Abdur Razzak off the pads and Ziaur Rahman took a great catch at short fine leg.
Skipper Mohammed Hafeez faced just 12 balls for his 8 before being stumped by Mushfiqur after Abdur Razzak turned it past Hafeez’s outside edge as the batsman stepped forward.
Pakistan looked to be in trouble when in-form Umar Akmal went for a duck to a thick edge off Mahmudullah to the third man.
But an 83-run fourth wicket stand between him and Shoaib Malik laid the foundation for Pakistan to go big in the final overs.
Shehzad’s charge brought up the 100 for Pakistan in 12.4 overs.
Malik’s dismissal was a repeat of what happened to Hafeez; this time the batsman was stumped off Shakib.
Shehzad top-edged Shakib, when on 80, and was lucky as the ball landed safely. He was again lucky when he was caught off a no-ball by Mashrafe.
Shahid Afridi was sent back in the last over off Al-Amin Hossain when he mistimed his shot to be caught at long-on.
In the very next ball, Nasir Hossain dropped Shoaib Maqsood (0) to add to the hosts’ misery.
Razzak bagged two wickets for 20 runs in his four overs. Al-Amin, Mahmudullah and Shakib picked up a wicket each. Ziaur conceded 22 runs in his only over.
Bangladesh will take on Australia next, on Tuesday (April 1) at the same ground. – bdnews24,com
