Sri Lanka captain Lahiru Thirimanne called “Tails” and tails it was. All that Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza could do was just stand and watch the whole process of a coin toss to decide the winner as Sri Lanka progressed to the 17th Asian Games men’s cricket final where they play Afghanistan for gold today. Unlike yesterday, no rain is forecast for the final in Incheon, or the bronze medal playoff where Bangladesh take on Hong Kong.
The rain factor had finally made the limping Tigers pay as the defending gold medal winners lost the semifinal yesterday simply on luck. Though Bangladesh were not in a great position to say they would have won, but an unfinished match decided by a toss is always heartbreaking for any team, especially when the team was looking to make a turnaround from a disappointing past.
Put in to bat on a cloudy and grey morning, Bangladesh were in trouble from the word go. There was still no Shamsur Rahman in the XI as Anamul Haque opened the innings and left for a first-ball duck in the opening over edging Dilhara Lokuhettige to first slip. No 3 Mithun Ali also did not trouble the scorers as he too was cleaned up by Dilhara in the third over. From five for two in three overs, Bangladesh’s horrible start was extended by the dismissal of Shakib al Hasan (one) which left them reeling at six for three.
Tamim Iqbal was joined by Bangladesh’s hero from the last Asian Games, Sabbir Rahman, as the duo steadily steered their side out of nightmare to give some breathing space. Sabbir’s confident approach saw him pounce on the short balls as he struck two fours and a six through midwicket to remain unbeaten on 27 off 25 balls.
Tamim, who scored just two off the first 11 balls, slowly got in to the groove and eventually made 24 from 33 balls. The partnership just crossed 50 and Bangladesh were 59 for three in 11 overs when rain poured down at the Yeonhui Cricket Ground.
The downpour continued for more than an hour as the chances of resumption or even a Super Over tie-breaker also went nil. Even if the match restarted before the cut-off time, according to the Duckworth-Lewis method Sri Lanka would have needed 38 from five overs.
Rain might have stopped cricket on the ground, but it couldn’t stop the Bangladeshi players from taking the field with a football 30 minutes before the “spin of the coin” took place.
However, Mashrafe, who earlier this week was appointed Bangladesh’s one-day captain in place of Mushfiqur Rahim, took the exit sportingly and said, “These things happen in cricket. We too wished we had a proper match.
“We will now prepare for the home series against Zimbabwe.”
Earlier on the day Afghanistan, silver medallists four years ago, took advantage of fielding first after winning the toss to brush aside Hong Kong by eight wickets in the first semi-final.
Bangladesh will play Hong Kong for the bronze at the same venue today. Hong Kong won the last time they faced Bangladesh in the ICC World Twenty20 earlier this year. Mashrafe and Co will be surely extra careful from not letting any “accident” take place again.
