Bangladesh Vs Pakistan T20 Match Played at Shere Bangla National Stadium Dhaka

Bangladesh 143/3 in 16.2 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 57*, Shabbir Rahman  51* ) beat Pakistan 141/ 5 in 20 overs ( Mukhter Ali 37, Haris Sohail 30* , Mustafizur Rahman 2/20)

Man of the Match: Shabbir Rahman

Bengal Tigers keeps marching on, continuing writing new pages in the history of Bangladesh cricket. After comprehensive Banglawash of Pakistan in ODI series, won the lone T20 match also in the same emphatic style yesterday in front of capacity adoring cricket frenzied Bangladeshis at tigers den Shere Bangla ( tiger of Bengal) . A new land mark was established. Bangladesh in the 8Th T20 match against Pakistan won its first. Playing against spirited high quality Bangladesh bowling and fielding Pakistan could manage a moderate 141 only. Bangladesh overcame it in canter with fearless Shabbir and Super Shakib toying around with much vaunted Pakistan bowling attack. A scorching unbeaten 105 run unbroken fourth wicket partnership in 10-overs at a rate of 9.84 facilitated Bangladesh its first win in T20 against the third ranked T20 team of the world cricket. Appreciative Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in jubilant mood enjoyed the match, handed over the trophies and spend some valued times with the tiger squad on the ground.

People call Shere Bangla – the tigers den. But Pakistanis can name Mirpur as the slaughter house of Pakistan cricket. New Bangladesh is really teaching Pakistan cricket lesson.

Listen to what Boom Boom Afridi said at presentation Ceremony. "They are in such a great momentum," Afridi acknowledged. ”We have to learn from the way the Bangladeshi players played"
Bangladesh had the courage of throwing another 19 years old teenager upfront to partner the ICC top ranked all-rounder in all format Shakib. The boy impressed all with his pace and swing. Pakistanis were seen struggling against pace of the teenager and twists and turns of Shakib. Taskin and Masrafe tightened the screw .Arafat Sunny kept vexing them. Shehzad could hardly play anything with confidence, new comer Mukhter Ahmed was desperately searching. Shehzad’s curtain dropped through an Amazing catch by Masrafe off Taskin. He ran like a leopard and dived full length risking his repaired knees. An astonishing catch by an amazing player. Such a committed performance by a committed leader acts as a catalyst for the team.

Ninth over was gone by then. Pakistanis were bogged down at 50/1 .Desperate captain Afridi promoted himself to give everything a kitchen sink. Even he found it difficult to negotiate. Teenage tweeter Maustafiz struck a vital blow. Mushfique claimed a catch when the ball from Mustafiz deviated after leaving Afridi. Perhaps boom boom was a touch unlucky. Benefit of doubt could go his way. Shell shocked Pakistan captain asked for a DRS perhaps forgetting momentarily that the provision was not there. Debutant Mukhter was their main stay. He too was soon foxed by Arafat Sunny and Mushfique completed a smart stumping. Pakistan was 77/3 at the start of the thirteenth over. “Professor Hafiz” joined Haris Sohail. This pair tried to lift the tempo as Hafiz finally found some of his forgotten touch. Pakistan had some positive stroke play in the period. 49 quick runs were added by the pair in a little over 5 overs before Mustafiz in his dream debut had Hafiz plumb in front stemming the Paki surge. At 126/4 in 17.5 overs Afridi had option to bring in any one of the two more accomplished batsmen Sarfraz or Rizwan. But for reasons better known to him he opted for Sohail Tanvir. Shakib and Taskin returning to the attack choked the Pakistanis in the death overs. They could hardly reach 141. The fate of the match was written all over.

Bangladesh could take their time. But these days Bangladesh plays cricket like Australia –dominating and imposing. Tamim blasted 14 runs in the first over of Professor Hafiz but in the process Soumya Sarkar was sacrificed in an attempt to pinch a sharp single. A direct throw of Ajmal found him short at strikers end. Unlucky Soumya had to depart without facing a ball. Shakib was rightly promoted at number three. But Tamim in efforts of playing one stroke too many edged to Hafiz in the slip off Umar Gul. Hafiz had his man taken. In came Mushfique Four lovely strokes came out of the run machine before he got out to great delivery of Wahab Riaz inside edging on to his stumps. Bangladesh was in a bit of worry at 38/3 and if Umpires did not give benefit of doubt to Shakib of a 50-50 appeal of LBW of Wahab Riaz it could be more challenging for Bangladesh. But those are integral part of the game.

Shabbir joined Shakib. From then on it was two “S” engaged in slaughtering of Pakistan attack. Fearless Shabbir played some strokes of other orbit and Shakib played his trade mark strokes which earned him the enviable reputation of top all-rounder across all format of the game. From there on whatever happened at Shere Bangla will be written in letters of gold in the History of Bangladesh Cricket. Tigers stem rolled Pakistan. World’s leading bowling attack was brought down to the level of street bowlers. Shakib and Shabbir bowled earned their T20 fifties. It was fifth for Shakib but the first for emerging tiger Shabbir. Some strokes those Shabbir played would have pleased even Sir Viv Richards at his hey days. And what Shakib did the world cricket knows about all. Shabbir is fast emerging a batting star. Shabbir scored 51 in 32 balls with six and seven fours. His reveres sweep was special and when this boy strikes over boundary it is always big. Shakib struck nine exquisite boundaries in his 41 balls 57. Shabbir for his more enterprising innings was adjudged man of the match. Bangladesh won by 7 wickets with 22 balls left.

Bangladesh earned its first T20 win over the third ranked T20 team in an emphatic manner. A new land mark was created. The event was cheered by cricket enthusiast Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who even gave an affectionate hug to brave Bangladesh Captain Masrafe taking two trophies from her on the day.

A look at the economy rate of Pakistan bowling will evidence how absolute was Bangladesh dominance. Hafis (14.00), Umar Gul (11.50), Wahab Riaz (9.75), Shahid Afridi (8.33). Can there be any better bowling attack than Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafiz in T20 in contemporary world cricket. Tigers cared less. Such is the state of cricket of Bangladesh at this moment.

The new found confidence of Bangladesh team will keep them in good stead in the test series about to start at Khulna next Tuesday. Pakistan will go closer to Sundarbans Mangrove forest the safe haven of Royal Bengal Tigers.

BDST: 0852 HRS, APR 25, 2015
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** Can Bangladesh Keep Winning?