Abu Dhabi: Bangladesh set-up a title clash with India in the Asia Cup on Friday after beating Pakistan by 37 runs in the virtual semi-final clash at the Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Mustafizur Rahman was the pick of the Bangladeshi bowlers with exceptional figures of 4 for 43 from his 10 overs.
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As it happened: Bangladesh beat Pakistan in Asia Cup
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There were wild celebrations amongst the Bangladeshi fans as Pakistan made heavy of the modest total of 240 for victory. Opener Imam Ul Haq came up with a fighting 83 off 105 balls but that went in vain as wickets kept falling all around him.
Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam and skipper Ahmed Shahzad were all sent packing and Pakistan were reduced to 18 for 3 at one stage. Rubel Hossain showed tremendous reflexes to puck the ball from the air to get rid of Zaman off the bowling of Mehidy Hasan Mirza. Azam and Shahzad both fell victim to Muztafizur – leg before and caught behind respectively.
Imam and Shoaib Malik then tried to pull the team out of troubled waters with a partnership of 67 for the fourth wicket. However, once Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza led by example in the field with a brilliant one-handed catch at mid-wicket to get rid of Malik, Pakistan were again staring down the barrel.
With Shadab Khan’s frustrating 24-ball stay for 4 runs ended, Pakistan were 95 for 5 in 25.1 overs with Imam fighting a lone battle. Liton Das standing in for injured stumper Mushfiqur Rahim then dropped a straight forward catch of Asif Ali while the latter was on 22. That didn’t hurt much as he could only add 11 more to the total. However, with a well set Imam getting out for 83 - stumped off Mahmudullah, it was certain that Pakistan will fall short of the target.
Earlier, a four-wicket haul by Junaid Khan allowed Pakistan to restrict Bangladesh to 239 all out in 48.5 overs despite a fighting 99 by Mushfiqur Rahim.
Bangladesh were also in a similar situation after being reduced to 12 for 3. However, unlike Pakistan, they recovered well with Mushfiqur and Mohammad Mithun (60) putting on a partnership of 144 runs for the fourth wicket. With that crucial partnership ending, Bangladesh again lost its way and couldn’t play out their full quota of overs.
Apart from Junaid’s 4 for 19 in nine overs, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali claimed two wickets apiece while leg spinner Shadab also managed a wicket against his name.
On a wicket with a slight greenish ting, Pakistan left-arm Junaid, who came in place of a struggling Mohammed Amir, was straightaway effective.
Soumya Sarkar, who came in place of Nazmul Hossain Shanto failed to negotiate a short pitch delivery from Junaid and it was a simple catch for Fakhar Zaman at square-leg. Shaheen Afridi was also quickly amongst wicket, getting Mominul Haque bowled with a delivery that nipped back sharply. With Junaid then getting one to slip through the defecses of Das, Bangladesh were reeling at 12 for 3.
Mashfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun then resurrected the Bangladesh innings with caution yet aggressive batting; pouncing on to anything loose.
With the Pakistan spinners Shadab and Mohammad Nawaz once again ineffective with the ball in their first spell, Mashfiqur and Mithun kept growing in confidence. Mashfiqur reached his 30th ODI fifty in 68 deliveries. Mithun also followed suit with this second ODI fifty but he fell as soon as the pacers were back in operation. Played across to Hasan Ali and the ball ballooned in the air and it was ordinary work for the former. Thus a brilliant partnership of 144 runs came to an end. Mashfiqur was left gutted as he was well set for what could have be magnificent century. He fell one run short, caught behind looking to drive Shaheen Afridi.
Scoreboard:
Bangladesh
Liton Das b Junaid Khan 6
Soumya Sarkar c Fakhar Zaman b Junaid Khan 0
Mominul Haque b Shaheen Afridi 5
Mushfiqur Rahim c Sarfraz Ahmed b Shaheen Afridi 99
Mohammad Mithun c&b Hasan Ali 60
Imrul Kayes lbw Shadab Khan 9
Mahmudullah b Junaid Khan 25
Mehedi Hasan c (Sub) b Junaid Khan 12
Mashrafe Mortaza c Fakhar Zaman b Hasan Ali 13
Rubel Hossain Run Out Hasan Ali 1
Extras 0b 8lb 0nb 0pen 1w 9
Total (48.5 overs) 239 all out
Fall of Wickets: 1-5 Sarkar, 2-12 Haque, 3-12 Das, 4-156 Ali, 5-167 Kayes, 6-197 Rahim, 7-221 Miraz, 8-230 Mahmudullah, 9-239 Hossain, 10-239 Mortaza Did Not Bat: Rahman
Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk
Junaid Khan 9 1 19 4
Shaheen Afridi 10 1 47
Hasan Ali 9.5 0 60
Mohammad Nawaz 8 0 39
Shoaib Malik 2 0 14 0
Shadab Khan 10 0 52 1
Pakistan
Fakhar Zaman c Rubel Hossain b Mehedi Hasan 1
Imam ul-Haq st Liton Das b Mahmudullah 83
Babar Azam lbw Mustafizur Rahman 1
Sarfraz Ahmed c Mushfiqur Rahim b Mustafizur Rahman 10
Shoaib Malik c Mashrafe Mortaza b Rubel Hossain 30
Shadab Khan c Liton Das b Soumya Sarkar 4
Asif Ali st Liton Das b Mehedi Hasan 31
Mohammad Nawaz c (Sub) b Mustafizur Rahman 8
Hasan Ali c Mashrafe Mortaza b Mustafizur Rahman 8
Shaheen Afridi Not Out 14
Junaid Khan Not Out 3
Extras 1b 2lb 1nb 0pen 5w 9
Total (50 overs) 202-9
Fall of Wickets: 1-2 Zaman, 2-3 Azam, 3-18 Ahmed, 4-85 Malik, 5-94 Khan, 6-165 Ali, 7-167 ul-Haq, 8-181 Ali, 9-186 Nawaz
Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk
Mehedi Hasan 10 1 28
Mustafizur Rahman 10 2 43 4
Mashrafe Mortaza 7 1 33 0
Rubel Hossain 8 0 38 1
Mahmudullah 10 0 38 1
Soumya Sarkar 5 0 19 1
Umpires: Shaun George and Chettithody Shamsuddin
Video: Marais Erasmus
Match Referee: David Boon
