Bangabandhu T20 Cricket Series
2nd Match Played at SBNCS Dhaka on 4th August 2021
Brief Scorecard:
Bangladesh 123 for 5 in 18.4 Overs (Afif Hossain 37*, Shakib Al Hasan 26, Mehedi Hasan 23, Nurul Hasan Sohan 22* ,Ashton Ager 1/17, Josh Hazelwood 1/21, Adam Zampa 1/24, Andrew Tye 1/27, Mitchel Starc 1/28)
Australia 121/7 in 20 Overs (Mitchel Marsh 45, Moises Henriques 30, Mustafizur Rahman 3/23, Shoriful Islam 2/27,Shakib 1/22, Mehedi 1/12)
Bangladesh Won by 5 wickets
Bangladesh Takes 2-0 Lead With 3 Matches Still To Play
Player of the Match: Afif Hossain.
Dream of an unimaginable T20 I series win or even probable Banglawash has started taking wings. Brilliant Bangladesh powered by young legs of fearless new generation has won two in two in the Bangabandhu T20 Cricket series.
We all knew that the wicket of SBNCS would be low and griping. But by no means it was not unplayable. Bangladesh bowled and fielded like fearless tigers taking the sail out of Australian cruise ship. Not the spreading COVID infection but the diabolic batting performance has pushed Australia to the brink. Bangladesh successfully defending a low score of 131 in the first match won it by 23 runs. In the back-to-back second match yesterday tigers got the better of the Kangaroo winning by 5 wickets. Riding on amazing Afif (37*) and fearless Sohan (23*) Bangladesh rode into 2-0 lead. If they can keep the momentum going winning the series and even achieving a series whitewash appears a possibility. That would a dream coming true. It would serve a great tonic for Bangladesh cricket. In my 16 years of living and staying involved in Australian cricket I have never seen any Australian club team even batting so poorly and surrendering cricket matches back to back without fight. Bowling was OK. But batting against quality bowling of Bangladesh looked spineless and fielding was atrocious .Australians never field so poor ,drop so many opportunities. Bangladesh showed strong resolve and outplayed Australia in all departments of the game in both the matches.
For the second day in succession Mathew Wade won the toss and unlike the first match elected to bat. Bangladesh right from the start appeared executing a plan. But unlike the first match Nasum Ahmed could not repeat his first match performance. But all other bowlers keeping tight length and line kept Aussies in the tight leash. It was not that spinners only kept it tight .It was Mustafiz (3/23) and young Shoriful (2/27) varying the pace kept Aussies vexed . If not Mitchel Marsh (45) and Moises (30) resisted doggedly Australia could not perhaps score above 100. Nothing appeared to have gone right with Kangaroos batting. The other day Bangladesh successfully defended 131 recording their first ever win against Australia by 23 runs. Yesterday two relatively new players Nurul Hasan (22*) and Afif (37*) batting with guts and aplomb won the match by 5 wickets when Australian bowlers kept it difficult reducing Bangladesh to 5/67 by the 12th over. The unbroken 6th wicket pair produced priceless 46 runs.
In our series review we mentioned that the talented youngsters like Sohan, Afif, Shoriful and Shamim would drive Bangladesh and sparkling Shakib would be the key. How exactly that has been translated into action.? How brilliantly Mahmudullah Riad executed the plan? He used his bowling resources so very intelligently. With two of the 5 matches done and dusted Bangladesh needs only another win out of the three for winning the series. We would not be surprised if Bangladesh not only win the series and achieve a comprehensive series whitewash.
Australia planned to set a target batting first and opting to bat. But Bangladesh bowling unit bowling at right pace in the right challenge kept it tight. Unlike the match one Nasum could not tweet. But not other bowlers allowed any liberty to Aussie batsmen taking any liberty. Only Marsh defending doggedly scored 45 in 42 deliveries and Moises Henriques struggled for his 25 balls 30. The third wicket partnership producing 57 runs somehow kept the Aussie boat sailing. But Majestic Mustafiz (3/23) with his trademark slow cutters and young Shoriful (2/27) with his smart variation of pace kept Aussie innings in check. A score of 121/7 was extremely difficult on any wicket.
Still Australian bowlers tried to make a match of it. Starc and Hazelwood bowled at pace and reduced Bangladesh to 2/21 by the 4th over. Riad executing Plan B sent Mehedi as pinch hitter giving him all liberty to bat with freedom. Shakib appeared as fluent as ever. Brave Mehedi took his chances. The repeated strikes of Mehedi kept floating catches tantalizing close to fielders. The pair added 37 very useful runs before Shakib lost his stumps scoring 26. Ager striking a deadly blow cleaning up Riad for a duck made butterfly running among Bangladesh batsmen. Bangladesh at 4/59 ad 5/67 for a while appeared to slip away from the destination. But off late Bangladesh late middle order manned by Afif and Sohan has started delivering. The pair playing quality cricket anchored the boat of success to shore with an unbroken 46 runs in 6.2 overs.
Bangladesh looks pretty taking 2-0 lead in the series with back-to-back win. A series win or even gaining never to be heard of series whitewash of the Kangaroos also appears a possibility if Bengal Tigers can keep their composure. Bangladesh may think of resting Soumya. He looks out of shorts. But where is the replacement?
A series win would serve as great tonic to the team tigers. Australians are looking pretty ordinary as a batting unit. It would not be easy for Australia turning around and leaving Bangladesh with damage control.
BDST: 1136 HRS, AUG 5, 2021
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