Unlucky Bangladesh men’s cricket team earned bronze in the 17th Asian Games by picking up a 27-run win over Hong Kong to end their campaign with some consolation at the Yeonhi Cricket Stadium on Friday. Bangladesh posted 162-6 in 20 overs and later restricted their opponents to 135-7 in a fitting reply to their ICC World Twenty20 embarrassment against the same oppositions at Chittagong earlier this year.
But more than anything, Bangladesh grumbled through the manner in which they were ousted from the race of gold medal on Thursday.
Eventual champions Sri Lanka, who thrashed Afghanistan by 68 runs in the final later in the day, toppled the Bangladesh side through coin-toss in the semi-final, something that the Tigers said will haunt them for many days.
New one-day international vice-captain Sakib al Hasan was the one to overcome the shock quickly putting a fine all-round performance to ensure Bangladesh did not suffer a further embarrassment against minnows Hong Kong.
Sakib scored 37-ball 46 runs and later grabbed 2-23 to help in scripting the Tigers victory as well as raising some confidence after being in the wrong side of the table for most part of the year.
After the top order came down prematurely, Sakib took his time, gradually came into his own groove and looked poised for a fifty before being run-out unluckily.
But Mahmuduallah, who stayed unbeaten at 35 facing 21 balls, kept the momentum going to put up a competitive total on the board.
‘It’s a mixed feeling,’ Mahmudullah told reporters in the post match.
‘It’s nice to win the match and earn the bronze but at the same time disappointed because we came here to win the gold,’ said Mahmudullah.
‘A toss can go on anyone’s favour, but still I’m a little heart-broken,’ he added.
Left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed, who toppled the Bangladeshi openers, grabbed 3-36 meanwhile Aizaz Khan and Nizakat Khan picked up one each.
In reply, Hong Kong opener Irfan Ahmed (31) gave an early scare by hitting two sixes off skipper Mashrafee bin Murtaza in the first over of the innings.
However, their weakness against Bangladeshi spin was quickly exposed when Arafat Sunny and Sakib were introduced which immediately changed the course of the game.
Arafat (3-22) and Sakib shared five wickets between them to put a brake in Hong Kong’s free flowing run-rate.
‘We could not play cricket to our potential for the last few months,’ said Mahmudullah. ‘With due respect to Hong Kong today we played to our expectation,’
From batting and bowling point of view we could implement our skill and that was satisfying.’
-With New Age input
