Published: Mar 18, 2014, 10:18 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 18, 2014, 11:21 PM (IST)
By Shrikant Shankar
Mar 18, 2014
Bangladesh crushed Nepal to win by eight wickets in the ICC World T20 2014 qualifying match in Group A at Chittagong on March 18, 2014. Bangladesh chased down a modest 127-run target in the T20 World Cup tie. Anamul Haque top-scored with 42 and Shakib Al Hasan scored a quick-fire unbeaten 37.
The win has put Bangladesh at the top of Group A with two wins in two games. Nepal now have one win and one loss. Only one team can qualify for the Super 10s from each group.
Tamim Iqbal and Anamul began the run-chase for Bangladesh. Anamul pulled a short delivery from Sompal Kami over deep square-leg for a six. The next delivery was short and wide and Anamul cut that for a four in front of point. A total of 13 runs came from the first over as Bangladesh started positively.
In Kami’s second over, Anamul again hit a maximum again pulling a short delivery over deep square-leg. Tamim got in amongst the scoring with a brilliant cut shot off Paras Khadka that pierced the off side field behind point and got a four. Nepal’s Man of the Match from the previous tie against Hong Kong, Shakti Gauchan was brought into the attack in the fifth over.
Anamul lofted one over the mid-off fielder and got a four. He then cut a wide delivery for a four through cover-point. Tamim then charged down the pitch to and struck one from Khadka over long-on for his first six. He again came down the track and hit a wide delivery over wide mid-off for a four.
Basant Regmi then struck for Nepal in the eighth over. Tamim used his feet and came down the pitch, but edged a lofted drive straight to Sagar Pun at short third-man. Tamim had to depart for 30 off 22 deliveries. New batsman Sabbir Rahman came down the track and flat-batted a back of a length delivery from Jitendra Mukhiya through straight mid-on for a four.
Anamul moved to his leg side to a delivery from Gauchan and hit one hard over cover for a four. Next ball he placed one square on the off side and took off for a single. Sabbir did not respond and Anamul was run out at the batsman’s end. In fact, Anamul was almost level with Sabbir, but he had not crossed him.
Shakib Al Hasan came in and smacked one from Regmi over wide long-on for a six. The dew started to trouble the Nepal bowlers and fielders as it became harder to grip the ball. Pun came into bowl and Sabbir top-edged a sweep behind. Gauchan misjudged the flight and could not reach the ball as it dropped safely at short fine-leg.
Bangladesh crossed the 100-run mark in the 14th over. Gauchan bowled one outside off-stump and Sabbir came down the track and launched it over deep mid-wicket for a six. Shakib also came down the pitch and hit one from Gauchan over the deep mid-wicket boundary. Shakib then came forward and took one on the full and slammed that over the deep mid-wicket boundary for another six.
Shakib finished the match with a six in the 16th over bowled by Pun. Bangladesh topped Group A with two wins in two matches.
Earlier, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur won the toss and sent Nepal into bat first. Nepal began slowly and lost three wickets for only 39 runs in the seventh over. But Khadka and Sharad Vesawkar shared a record 85-run partnership for Nepal for any wicket to guide them along. Although they did not score quickly, they ensured the wickets did not fall either.
Nepal only managed 126 for five in their 20 overs. Khadka top-scored with 41 and Vesawkar scored 40. Al-Amin Hossain too two wickets for Bangladesh. The total did not look enough in conditions where dew looked to be a big factor.
Brief scores:
Nepal 126 for 5 in 20 overs (Paras Khadka 41, Sharad Vewaskar 40; Al-Amin Hossain 2 for 17) lost to Bangladesh 132 for 2 in 15.3 overs (Tamim Iqbal 30, Anamul Haque 42, Shakib Al Hasan 37*) by 8 wickets.
Man of the Match: Al-Amin Hossain
ICC World T20 2014 Points Table and Team Standings
ICC World T20 2014 Schedule details
(Shrikant Shankar is a writer/reporter at CricketCountry.com. Previously he has done audio commentary for various matches involving India, Indian Premier League and Champions League Twenty20 for ESPNSTAR.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Shrikant_23)
