Bangladesh have been dishing out full of surprises throughout their journey in the Asia Cup.
From opener Tamim Iqbal going out to bat one handed, to the BCB bringing in two openers from home overnight and sending opener Imrul Kayes to bat at number six and reaping rewards from that decision have all been out-of-the-box actions made by the Tigers.
Going into the final against India, Bangladesh ODI captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza had hinted of another surprise but no one had anticipated this – sending youngster Mehedi Hasan Miraz in to open with wicketkeeper-batsman Liton Das.
A finger injury picked up in Bangladesh’s opening game of the tournament had thrown Tamim out of it and that started the struggle to find an adequate replacement.
Bangladesh are 116/0 after 20 overs in the Asia Cup final!
— ICC (@ICC) September 28, 2018
Liton Das is on a career-best 85 while Mehidy Hasan is also unbeaten on 29.
What a start! #INDvBAN
FOLLOW LIVE??https://t.co/N0RVppXoLg pic.twitter.com/AvBXi8o9YA
In the five matches before the final, Liton and the left-handed Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s 16 against Afghanistan in the Super Four game was the highest for the Bangladesh openers.
The Tigers were desperately looking for a way to break the jinx and it had come with Miraz.
This was as surprising as sending Imrul in to bat as a middle-order batsman.
“Look, in this tournament we surprised ourselves and you folks as well. There were different players at different times in different positions. Anyway, it was more to do with being a victim of circumstance. With Shakib [al Hasan] not there, you might see someone (yesterday) who has never opened. We are prepared for everything and I am also asking you to be prepared,” Mashrafe had said to the media laughing Thursday.
DRINKS: 100 up for Bangladesh in 18th over. And of course, that's the 100-run stand between Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan.
— The Field (@thefield_in) September 28, 2018
Bangladesh's combined opening stands in the Asia Cup before the final: 52 runs
India need to regroup...#AsiaCupFinal #INDvBAN live: https://t.co/7Mw5BbQwFn pic.twitter.com/nasIKyFGhb
The gamble worked wonders as the duo posted 120 runs for the opening stand – a herculean effort compared to what the openers had done in the rest of the tournament.
The stand was Bangladesh’s highest opening wicket partnership against India in the format.
Liton was the aggressor in the partnership, smashing 86 off 66 balls, and registering his maiden ODI half-century.
Nightwatchman Miraz played the role of the anchor on one end and added 32 before getting out in the 21st over, giving India their crucial first wicket in the game.
