DHAKA, June 6, 2019 (BSS)- Bangladesh fought admirably with limited resources before going down to New Zealand by two wickets in a nail-biting world Cup game at The Oval on Wednesday.
The Tigers were shot out for a moderate 244 but made it count, showing a steely resolve that made them heavily favourite to win the game. The Kiwis lower order held their nerve in crunch moment after Ross Taylor’s masterful 82 to defy the Bangladesh, reaching the target in 47.1 overs with 248-8.
It was Bangladesh’s first loss after their 21-run victory over South Africa.
Shakib Al Hasan yet again came up with a sterling all-rounder performance, hitting a sublime 68 ball-64 and claiming 2-47, which eventually went vain.
Mashrafe’s side indeed paid heavily for missing to inflict a run-out on Kane Williamson who forged a match-defining 105-run partnership with Ross Taylor for the second wicket to eventually script his side’s second straight victory.
As New Zealand were struggling with 61-2 in 11 overs, Williamson who was on 8 then responded a quick single from Ross Taylor, only to find him a mile away from the crease but to the dismay of Bangladeshi fans wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim who was closer to wicket dislodged the bails by his elbow before the balls came to his gloves.
Williamson looked rusty but somehow found his way to score an invaluable 40 but most importantly allowed Taylor to make the carnage, which made the eventual difference. Taylor was adjudged man of the match.
Bangladesh’s total was not daunting but with pitch getting slower, their prospect looked bright.
Martin Guptill and Collin Munro made a whirlwind start but Shakib Al Hasan removed both of them, leaving New Zealand tricky 55-2 in 10th over.Had Mushfiqur didn’t make the mistake to inflict run-out on Kane Williamson, Bangladesh could have been in position of dominance by then.
In the wake of the adversities, Bangladesh refused to give up.
They hit back in style with off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz dealing double strike to get the better of Williamson and Tom Latham for naught in five balls.
Taylor looked adamant until Mushfiqur decided to amend his mistakes. He took a fine catch of Mosaddek Hossain bowling to remove Taylor and the things turned around dramatically.
With Saifuddin joining the party, Bangladesh kept coming back while the Kiwis lower order put up admirable fight. They stayed come and Mitchell Santner drilled Mustafizur Rahman through cover for a boundary to seal the game.
Santner was not out on 17. Guptill and Jimmy Nisham made identical 25 to contribute in team’s nervy victory.
Mehidy Hasan, Saifuddin, Shakib and Mosaddek took two wickets for Bangladesh.
Being sent to bat first, Bangladesh were terrorized by Kiwis fast bowlers’ express pace and short balls. But Shakib looked a batsman from different planet.
When Shakib’s calculative aggression forced the Kiwis bowlers alter their plan, he literally got no support from the other batsmen, who were humbled by the barrage of short deliveries.
Saifuddin hit some lusty blow towards the end to help the side put up a fighting total, hitting 23 ball-29. Mohammad Mithun chipped-in-with 26.
Fast bowler Matt Henry did the most damage of Bangladesh, claiming 4-47 while his new ball partner Trent Boult snapped up 2-44 as they used the short stuffs to precision.
Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar dealt with the bounce and swing of Henry and Boult astutely to keep Bangladesh on track before a loose shot from Soumya against Henry ended the 45-run partnership after the opener made a run-a-ball-25.
Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson undid Tamim Iqbal with a 95-mile short-pitched delivery after he scored 38 ball-24.
Thereafter Bangladeshi batsmen looked clueless, out-of-sort and jaded.
Shakib struggled initially but three successive four off Jimmy Nisham set him nicely in the crease as he seemed to have found the impetus that he was looking for.
A mix-up between him and Mushfiqur Rahim brought a run-out dismissal of the latter for 19 off 35, leaving Bangladesh in a state of danger.
Shakib cut one past point off left arm spinner Mitchell Santner delivery for three runs to reach his second consecutive half-century in the tournament.
The situation got worsened when Shakib was dismissed by Collin de Grandhome after trying one to cut that didn’t give him much width.
Mohammad Mithun and Mahmudullah had much to prove when they got the onus but they failed to pay it off, specially Mahmudullah’s struggle against short balls looked nasty. He was eventually out on 20 off 41.
Mosaddek Hossain was also vulnerable against short balls but Saifuddin somehow dealt with the Kiwi fast bowlers to take Bangladesh closer to 250.