Mahmudullah crosses 1000 T20I runsMiddle-order batsman Mahmudullah emerged as the fourth Bangladeshi to reach 1000 T20I runs. The right-handed batsman walked to the middle to bat against India in the Nidahas T20I tri-nation series final with 996 runs under his belt in the shortest format. He reached the milestone in the fourth ball he faced on the day. The Bangladesh T20I vice-captain came down the track and heaved the ball towards deep mid-wicket off right-arm pacer Vijay Shankar to reach the mark. Mahmudullah scored 21 off 16 before getting dismissed to leave Bangladesh reeling on 68 for the loss of four wickets in 10.1 overs.Sabbir messes it upBangladesh needed a partnership in order to recover from the quick dismissals of four top-order batsmen and Mahmudullah, along with No 3 batsman Sabbir Rahman, duly obliged. The duo worked on fetching runs according to the merit of the ball and the situation. However, it was a blunder from Sabbir that broke the stand after 36 runs. Mahmudullah, on strike, was beaten by the ball. The delivery touched the pads and went to India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik. Before Mahmudullah could realise, Sabbir from the non-striker’s end gunned for a single only to see a puzzled Mahmudullah caught short of the crease.Sabbir breaks the jinxSabbir badly needed some runs. His long bad patch had his place in the dressing room shaken but on the occasion of Bangladesh playing yet another multi-nation final, Sabbir came good. The right-handed batsman went to bat at No 3 after Bangladesh were sent in to bat first and under a critical situation, Sabbir took charge. He had messed up a crucial partnership, getting Mahmudullah run out but did go on to score 77 runs off 50 deliveries and guide Bangladesh to a defendable total. Sabbir in the process posted his first 30-plus innings in four matches and his first fifty in the format in 21 innings.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
