Face Afghanistan today for first ever Asian gold
Sohra-wardi Shuvo and Shahadat Hossain bowled brilliantly to set up a five-wicket victory for Bangladesh over Sri Lanka in the Asian Games cricket semi-final at Guanggong International Cricket Stadium in Guangzhou on Thursday.
Bangladesh, in their quest for the first ever Asian gold, today will face surprise finalists Afghanistan, who pulled off the biggest upset in Asiad cricket beating Test-playing Pakistan by 22 runs in the first semi-final.
The final will start at 11:30am Bangladesh Standard Time.
Shuvo claimed four wickets for just six runs while Shahadat, though a bit expensive, returned with 3-29 as Bangladesh bowled Sri Lanka out for 101 runs in 20 overs. Bangladesh, in reply, raced to 102-5 with 26 balls to spare.
Chinthaka Jayasinghe made highest 28 runs for Sri Lanka facing 22 balls and hitting one boundary and two sixes while Jeevantha Kulatunga, who struck four fours and a six, made 25 off 19 balls.
Sri Lanka, who came to the Games with as many as 11 players having ODI experience, were distinctly second best to Bangladesh despite making an early breakthrough when they had opener Mithun Ali out for just one.
Nazimuddin (16 in 14 balls) and skipper Mohammad Ashraful (18 off 15 balls) played two cameos bringing the target to within Bangladesh’s reach before Faisal Hossain and Naeem Islam took Bangladesh nearly home.
Faisal made 33 from 24 balls with three fours and a six while Naeem was relatively sedate making 25 off 34 balls. The margin of Bangladesh’s victory could have been bigger if both Faisal and Naeem had not departed just two runs away from win.
Earlier in the first semi-final, Afghanistan scored 125-8 in their 20 overs before restricting Pakistan’s flamboyant batsmen to just 103-7.
‘It’s a big win for Afghanistan. Every person there watching the match is happy about this win,’ Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi was quoted by Agence France Presse as saying.
AFP adds: Afghanistan’s score did not look enough as Pakistan made a lightning start to their reply, racing to 30 off just three overs.
Opening batsman Sharjeel Khan set the tone, hitting 12 off the first over, bowled by Sahpur Zadran, before he was lbw to Mirwais Ashraf for 23 off 16 balls with four boundaries and a six.
But Afghanistan managed to apply the brakes in mid-innings as wickets tumbled.
As tensions rose there was a fierce verbal exchange between Pakistan captain and opener Khalid Latif and Afghanistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad, which needed the intervention of the umpires.
Nabi then trapped Latif lbw for 26.
Naeemuddin Qazi was run out to leave Pakistan on 60-3 and two wickets in the same over by Karim Sadiq left them struggling at 68-5.
Naeem Anjum holed out as Pakistan tried in vain to find the boundaries that would ease the pressure and they failed to put themselves in a position to launch a final assault.
‘We haven’t played against Afghanistan before. It will be a tough game,’ said Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful.
