Bangladesh skipper Sakib al Hasan said he had lost the hopes of winning the game against England on Friday when they were eight wickets down with 57 runs still needed.
‘I thought we lost the game,’ Sakib said after the crucial two-wicket win. ‘But when Riyad [Mahmudullah] hit the winning runs, suddenly I realised we won it. Still I would say it took some time for me realise we won the game,’ he said.
Bangladesh, chasing a modest total of 225 runs, were down and out with 169-8 before Mahmudullah and Shafiul added 58 runs in a stunning ninth wicket stand to win the game.
Shafiul, one of the major architects in Bangladesh’s 27-run win over Ireland in the previous game, blasted 24 runs to swing the momentum to Bangladesh’s way.
Shafiul struck Graeme Swann for the only six of the game to take 16 from his final over, which brought Bangladesh back in the contest. He slaughtered the pace bowlers which was crucial to the win.
‘I did expect Shafiul to hit boundaries against spinners but did not expect him to strike the pace bowler as he did. He proved me wrong and did a fantastic job for the team,’ said Sakib.
‘When they put on 225 runs on the board, we thought we had a very good chance to win the game because we knew for the last few days there was dew and we knew it will be hard for them to bowl on this wicket,’ Sakib added.
‘When Imrul and I were batting, I thought we are going pretty well. But there were some silly mistakes
like two run outs that could have cost us the game. Luckily it didn’t,’ said the all-rounder.
Sakib hailed the win, one of the greatest for Bangladesh, considering the circumstances as it kept their quarter-final hopes alive. Bangladesh were facing huge criticism for their 58 all out in the previous game against West Indies.
‘Obviously it’s not a normal win. If you look at the situation and the whole scenario of Bangladesh, it is a a great victory for us and for the whole nation, I think,’ said Sakib.
Courtesy of New Age
