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Friday March 29, 2024

Junaid sizzles but Mushfiq guides Bangladesh to 239

By Khalid Hussain
September 27, 2018

ABU DHABI: Pakistan have desperately lacked killer instinct in the Asia Cup. They have squandered opportunities and have failed to capitalize whenever the momentum swung their way.

Even on Wednesday here at the Zayed Cricket Stadium when Junaid Khan was on fire, Pakistan were unable to cash on the advantage handed to them with the new ball.Playing his first game of the Asia Cup, Junaid removed both of Bangladesh’s openers and Shaheen Afridi scalped Mominul Haque to leave the opposition gasping for air at 12-3.

But how does Sarfraz Ahmed, Pakistan’s under-fire captain, respond?He opts to take a defensive field. With no second slip in place new man Mushfiqur Rahim’s edge off Shaheen goes unrewarded. And Pakistan were made to pay.

Mushfiq, by far the best batsman in this Bangladesh line-up, played what was one of the best knocks of this six-nation tournament – a fluent 99 that kept his team in the hunt for a place in Friday’s final against India in Dubai.

From 12-3, Mushfiq and Mohammad Mithun lifted the Bangladesh innings and at one stage the Tigers were threatening to post a big total at 156-3 in the 33rd over. Mushfiq was unlucky to miss what would have been a well-deserved hundred. He fell to a brilliant delivery from Shaheen after scoring 99 from 116 balls that included nine fours. Bangladesh’s top run-getter in this tournament, Mushfiq played the lead role in a crucial 144-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Mithun from 176 balls. Mithun was also in full flow during his 84-ball 60 that included four hits to the fence.

Things could have been much worse for the Pakistan without Junaid’s heroics.The left-arm pacer spat fire on either side of the Bangladesh innings. He removed the openers – Liton Dias and Soumya Sarkar – early and just when the opposition was beginning to look dangerous he bowled a brilliant second spell in the death overs, picking up two more wickets to finish with impressive figures of 4-19. The young Shaheen was also in his element picking up 2-47. Though still not at his brilliant best, pacer Hasan Ali managed to grab two key wickets to finish with 2-60.