Shakib powers Bangladesh into Super 12s

By AFP

October 22, 2021

MUSCAT: Shakib Al Hasan smashed 46 and had bowling figures of 4-9 as Bangladesh crushed Papua New Guinea by 84 runs to qualify for the Super 12 stage of the Twenty20 World Cup on Thursday.

Chasing 182 for victory, PNG were bowled out for 97 in 19.3 overs to hand Bangladesh their second straight win of round one in Muscat.

PNG go out of the tournament with three losses.

The Tigers bounced back from an opening loss to register two convincing wins and the last one would have been bigger had it not been for Kiplin Doriga’s unbeaten 46.

“Every game we’re playing gives us into more confidence. Obviously it was a setback, the first game, but in the T20 format the team that is better on the day wins,” said man of the match Shakib.

“But now the pressure is off and we can play expressively. It’s not an easy format to get back into form, but luckily I’m getting more chance to bat up the order.”

PNG were never in the chase after losing their openers including skipper Assad Vala, for six, and Shakib’s introduction made matters worse for the World Cup debutants.

- Shakib equals Afridi -

Shakib, a left-arm spinner, struck twice in his first over and then took two more to equal Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi as the leading wicket-taker with 39 scalps in T20’s showpiece event.

Earlier Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad, who hit 50, and Shakib helped Bangladesh to 181-7 after they elected to bat first.

Afif Hossain’s quickfire 21 and an unbeaten 19 off 6 balls from Mohammad Saifuddin, who finished the innings with two sixes and a four, fired Bangladesh to the highest total of the tournament so far.

Score Board

Bangladesh won toss

Bangladesh

Mohammad Naim c Bau b Morea 0

Liton Das c Bau b Vala 29

Shakib Al Hasan c Amini b Vala 46

Mushfiqur Rahim c Hiri b Atai 5

Mahmudullah Riyad c Soper b Ravu 50

Afif Hossain c Ravu b Morea 21

Nurul Hasan c Bau b Ravu 0

Mohammad Saifuddin not out 19

Mahedi Hasan not out 2

Extras (lb1, nb2, w6) 9

TOTAL (7 wickets, 20 overs) 181

Did not bat: Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman

Fall: 1-0 (Mohammad Naim, 0.2 ov), 2-50 (Liton Das, 7.1 ov), 3-72 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 10.2 ov), 4-101 (Shakib Al Hasan, 13.4 ov), 5-144 (Mahmudullah, 17.2 ov), 6-153 (Nurul Hasan, 17.6 ov), 7-161 (Afif Hossain, 18.6 ov)

Bowling: Morea 4-0-26-2 (w1), Ravu 4-0-40-2 (w4), Soper 4-0-53-0, Bau 2-0-20-0 (w1), Vala 3-0-26-2, Amini 2-0-9-0, Atai 1-0-6-1

Papua New Guinea (target 182)

L. Siaka lbw b Saifuddin 5

A. Vala c Nurul b Taskin 6

C. Amini c Naim b Shakib 1

S. Bau c Naim b Shakib 7

S. Atai c Mahedi b Shakib 0

H. Hiri c Nurul b Shakib 8

N. Vanua c Mushfiqur b Mahedi 0

K. Doriga not out 46

C. Soper b Saifuddin 11

K. Morea run out 3