It was an outstanding knock from an outstanding player. But Shakib Al Hasan’s masterful 84-run innings was still not good enough for Bangladesh as they crashed out of the ICC World Twenty20 after defeat to Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium last night.
In the end, Pakistan chased down the Tigers’ challenging total of 175, Bangladesh’s highest score in the T20 World Cup, quite comfortably to enter the Super Eights along with New Zealand from Group D. Despite a much improved batting performance from Bangladesh after Mushfiqur Rahim decided to bat, Pakistan still posted an eminently comfortable 8wicket victory with eight balls to spare.
Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Nazir put pacemen Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Shafiul Islam to the sword to take control of the match as they collected 58 runs from the first five overs. And then they didn’t show any mercy towards the spinners as well, on way to the massive victory.
Things however could have been different if young pacer Abul Hasan, who came into the match in place of left-arm spinner Elias Sunny, had managed to take a simple catch off Nazir at mid-on on the first ball of the second over.
Hasan finally got the wicket of Nazir, but by then it was too late because the right-hander had already smashed a 36-ball 72 that contained nine fours and three sixes. Hasan also made up by dismissing Hafeez, who made 46 off 47 balls, in the same over but the damage had already been done as the opening pair partnered to score 124 runs in 13.3 overs.
In-form Nasir Jamshed and Kamran Akmal then finished the job in style.
Earlier, the left-handed Shakib was in exemplary form after a dismal show in the first match against New Zealand. It was amazing to watch after the way the world’s number one all-rounder executed the shots all around the park against a very formidable bowling attack in front of an electrifying crowd.
Shakib smote eleven boundaries and two sixes during his 54-ball 84 to become Bangladesh’s highest individual innings in T20I surpassing Nazimuddin’s 81 against the same opponents in Kenya in September 2007.
Bangladesh got a perfect start but after the dismissal of Mohammad Ashraful, Shakib joined Tamim Iqbal to create an opportunity for setting up a daunting target for the opposition. Tamim, who set the tone with a firing 12-ball 24, looked in great touch but returned to the pavilion after an unfortunate run-out.
In a mix-up for a quick single, Tamim lost his balance while U-turning and Hafeez didn’t risk throwing the ball but instead ran towards the non-striker’s end and dislodged the bails to find Tamim miles short.
Shakib, who made his second fifty after making 57 runs against Ireland this year, however took charge to make up for the loss. He was however not helped by the efforts of Mushfiqur Rahim who failed to rotate the strike properly and was dismissed at a wrong time or vice-captain Mahmudullah who followed his skipper quickly to dash the hope of reaching their highest total in T20.
But credit must also go to champion Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, who bounced back strongly after conceding 12 runs in his first over. Shahid Afridi also showed his character to slow down the Tigers’ run-rate while gentle medium-pacer Yasir Arafat claimed three wickets, all of which came at crucial times as Bangladesh managed 42 runs from the last five overs. Bangladesh amassed 90 runs for the loss of two wickets in the first 10 overs.
Shakib, who hit a six against Yasir Arafat to reach his half-century in style, slashed Umar Gul over point for a boundary after hitting a six as Bangladesh reached 100 in 10.4 overs.
It could have been a story about Shakib’s, but the Bangladesh bowlers failed again to show their skills on a true batting wicket and will now return home empty-handed.
-With The Daily Star input
