Ashraful kept Bangladesh hopes alive

Dubai: Mohammad Ashraful cracked a brilliant 65 for Bangladesh to almost pull off a stunning victory over Pakistan. |

Until Ashraful fell in the 18th over, it was anybody's game. He is a batsman who can play unbelievable shots and tilt the balance in a flash.

Ashraful's knock is special due to many reasons. Though it was a comeback knock it never looked as if he was out of touch. He was even dropped for the home series against England recently but was specially selected for the Twenty20 World Cup mainly due to his ability to hit hard.

Ashraful lived up to the hopes of his selectors. His knock came off just 49 balls and that too against a strong Pakistan attack with three sixes and four boundaries.

Although Salman Butt walked away with the man of the match award for his elegant 73 runs, Ashraful was undoubtedly the star. To play a fighting knock against mounting pressure of reaching the target is indeed valuable.

Ashraful's contribution to help Bangladesh make a mark in international cricket is extraordinary. He is their youngest batsman to have scored a Test century. He is only 25 years old but is a veteran of 159 One-dayers and 53 Tests.