Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan comfortably by 62 runs, riding on an all-round performance from maverick all-rounder Shakib al Hasan in their 2019 World Cup game at Hampshire Bowl Stadium in Southampton Monday.
This is the third win for the Tigers in the tournament and they now have seven points after as many games.
They will take on sub-continent rivals India and Pakistan in their remaining two games in the single round-robin group stage.
Player of the match Shakib first scored 51 before taking five wickets conceding just 29 runs in his quota of 10 overs as the Tigers’ semi-final hope received a boost.
Along the way, Shakib became the first ever Bangladeshi to cross the milestone of 1,000 runs and 30 wickets in the World Cup.
Chasing 263 to win, Afghanistan folded for 200 in 47 overs.
Afghanistan started their innings well with a 49-run opening wicket partnership but Shakib initiated the first breakthrough in the 11th over by picking up the wicket of Rahmat Shah.
Maverick @BCBtigers all-rounder @Sah75official expressed satisfaction after yet another brilliant performance in the @cricketworldcup, but said he is focusing on the remaining two group stage matches.https://t.co/NcoGXHCPMJ#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) June 24, 2019
The big blow for Afghanistan came in the 29th over when Shakib took the wicket of captain Gulbadin Naib (47) before cleaning up all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan’s most experienced player, in back-to-back deliveries.
From 104/2, Afghanistan stumbled to 104/4.
Afghanistan were never able to keep up with the tempo and eventually succumbed to 200 all out.
Shakib notched five wickets while seamer Mustafizur Rahman took two.
Earlier, Naib won the toss and elected to field first.
Bangladesh made two changes in their starting XI from their last match against Australia as all-rounders Saifuddin and Mosaddek Hossain returned to the side replacing pacer Rubel Hossain and batsman Sabbir Rahman respectively.
The Tigers altered their opening batting pair as well as right-hander Liton Kumar Das opened the innings alongside southpaw Tamim Iqbal.
Ace @BCBtigers all-rounder @Sah75official became the first cricketer in the history of the @cricketworldcup to cross 1,000 runs and take 30-plus wickets.https://t.co/NS2oUpY52U#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESH #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET #SHAKIBALHASAN #SHAKIBHASAN #SHAKIB
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) June 24, 2019
The strategy was taken keeping in mind Afghanistan’s spin-bowling options, and as expected, the Afghans started the innings with the off-spin of Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Liton was comfortable during his 17-ball stay at the crease until he got out in the second ball of the fifth over.
It was a wrong-un delivery from Mujeeb and Liton played an uppish drive.
Fielder Hashmatullah Shahidi took the catch but it did not look clean.
Umpires went for a TV replay as the soft signal was out.
The third umpire stayed with the on-field umpire’s call although there was doubt whether the ball touched the ground.
Tamim and Shakib formed a 59-partnership for the second wicket before the former got out scoring 36 off 53 balls with four boundaries.
Mosaddek Hossain scored 35 off 24 deliveries with four boundaries, which lifted @BCBtigers' run rate a bit in the slog overs.https://t.co/QapW4iA3Sr#BCBTIGERS #BCB #TIGERS #BANGLADESH #CRICKET #BANGLADESHCRICKET #MOSADDEKHOSSAIN #MOSADDEK #HOSSAIN #SAIKAT #MOSADDEKSAIKAT #CWC
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) June 24, 2019
The in-form Shakib scored yet another fifty-plus innings in this tournament as he made 51 off 69 deliveries with one four.
En route to his fifty, Shakib survived a close leg-before wicket call against leg-spinner Rashid Khan after reviewing it.
The umpire judged it out but the review showed the ball just missed the top of the stumps.
But eventually, Shakib was trapped in front by Mujeeb in the 30th over.
Soumya Sarkar batted at No 5 but failed to score big as he was also adjudged LBW against Mujeeb scoring just three.
Mushfiqur Rahim, who made an unbeaten hundred against Australia in the last match, scored a brilliant innings of 83 off 87 deliveries.
Mushfiq struck four boundaries and also smashed the only sixer of the innings.
The TV replays showed that the ball almost touched the ground, but perhaps, the Hashmatullah Shahidi’s right-hand finger was beneath the ball, and thus, third umpire Aleem Dar did not overturn the on-field umpire’s decision in the end.https://t.co/QzsMwHSocD#BCBTIGERS #BCB #DAR
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) June 24, 2019
Mahmudullah chipped in with a 27-run innings off 38 deliveries but the right-hander struggled while running between the wickets as he was suffering from cramps in his leg since the start of his innings.
Mosaddek played a timely innings as the all-rounder scored 35 off just 24 balls in the slog overs to help Bangladesh get past the 250-mark.
Eventually, Bangladesh managed to score 262 losing seven wickets in their stipulated 50 overs.
Mujeeb was the best bowler for Afghanistan picking up three giving away 39 runs, while Naib took two.
Rashid remained wicketless in his 10 overs leaking 52 runs.
MATCH 31
BANGLADESH INNINGS R B
Liton c Shahidi b Mujeeb 16 17
Tamim b Nabi 36 53
Shakib lbw b Mujeeb 51 69
Mushfiq c Nabi b Dawlat 83 87
Soumya lbw b Mujeeb 3 10
Mahmudullah c Nabi b Naib 27 38
Mosaddek b Naib 35 24
Saifuddin not out 2 2
Extras (w 9) 9
Total (50 Overs) 262/7
Fall Of Wickets
1-23 (Liton), 2-82 (Tamim), 3-143 (Shakib), 4-151 (Soumya), 5-207 (Mahmudullah), 6-251 (Mushfiq), 7-262 (Mosaddek)
Bowling
Mujeeb 10-0-39-3, Dawlat 9-0-64-1, Nabi 10-0-44-1, Naib 10-1-56-2, Rashid 10-0-52-0, Rahmat 1-0-7-0
AFGHANISTAN INNINGS R B
Naib c Liton b Shakib 47 75
Rahmat c Tamim b Shakib 24 35
Shahidi st Mushfiq b Mosaddek 11 31
Afghan c sub (Sabbir) b Shakib 20 38
Nabi b Shakib 0 2
Shinwari not out 49 51
Alikhil run out (Liton) 11 12
Najibullah st Mushfiq b Shakib 23 23
Rashid c Mashrafe b Mustafizur 2 3
Dawlat c Mushfiq b Mustafizur 0 8
Mujeeb b Saifuddin 0 4
Extras (b 1, lb 6, w 6) 13
Total (47 Overs) 200 all out
Fall Of Wickets
1-49 (Rahmat), 2-79 (Shahidi), 3-104 (Naib), 4-104 (Nabi), 5-117 (Afghan), 6-132 (Alikhil), 7-188 (Najibullah), 8-191 (Rashid), 9-195 (Dawlat), 10-200 (Mujeeb)
Bowling
Mashrafe 7-0-37-0, Mustafizur 8-1-32-2, Saifuddin 8-0-33-1, Shakib 10-1-29-5, Miraz 8-0-37-0, Mosaddek 6-0-25-1
Bangladesh won by 62 runs
MoM: Shakib al Hasan
