Pakistan's celebrated bowling unit's rare off day put a latch on it, but
their batsmen smashed through the qualification door by chasing down
176 - their highest successful chase - with eight balls to spare.
To progress in the tournament, Bangladesh needed to not only post their
first win over Pakistan in 13 years, but win by at least 36 runs. On a
true pitch, Shakib Al Hasan posted the highest score by a Bangladesh
batsman to facilitate their second-highest total, but Imran Nazir
whacked his way to the fastest fifty in this World T20 to calm down any
nerves there might have been after the effort in the field.
It was also a night that will be remembered for shoddy short bowling on a
flat track and shoddier catching by both sides. Sohail Tanvir put down
one of the simplest catches ever put down in international cricket,
Kamran Akmal let through a regulation take, but it was the drop by Abul
Hasan, brought in to replace Elias Sunny, that proved decisive in the
end. Had he held on, Nazir would have been gone on 1 and Shafiul Islam
would have got off to a confident start with a first-ball wicket. Nazir
ended up with 72.
It didn't help that the chance had come off a short delivery, which
encouraged them to keep bowling short, and Nazir, often good with the
horizontal bat, took full toll. In his second over, Shafiul kept bowling
short and was carter for four, four and six. Another short ball that
went for five wides made it 20 off the over, and Pakistan had had a head
start at 43 for 0 after four overs. Clearly they were not going for
just the qualification. The win was on their mind.
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Mohammad Hafeez remained the calm man at other end, chipping and pushing
runs as Nazir kept up his power hitting while getting at least one
short ball every over. After Shakib put the brakes on with just four in
the seventh over, Nazir stepped out of the crease to hit Abdur Razzak
over mid-off to break the rhythm. That four took him to 42 off 18, and
the fifty came when Shakib provided him with a long hop for six in the
10th over.
That even Shakib was making mistakes was sign enough. Relief arrived for
Bangladesh when Nazir and Hafeez fell in one Hasan over, after which
came a quiet five-run over, bringing the equation down to 45 needed off
five overs. For the first time it seemed Pakistan might be conscious of
that qualification mark - now nine runs away - but Nasir Jamshed quashed
those thoughts with two of the finest shots, four through point and a
flicked six over square leg, off the next two balls.
That was cue enough for Kamran to open up too, and the rest was just a
stroll. Had you mentioned the word stroll in the first innings, though,
Pakistan's coach Dav Whatmore would have given you a piece of his mind.
For the most part, it was a stroll for Shakib, who capitalised on the
brisk start provided by Mohammad Ashraful and Tamim Iqbal.
Shakib had the extra responsibility after playing a significant role in
Tamim's run-out at 61 for 2 in the sixth over. He had himself raced away
to 16 off 11 by then, took it easy for the next three overs, and then
resumed the charge with two fours off Saeed Ajmal in the 10th over. When
Tanvir dropped a dolly from Mushfiqur Rahim in the 13th over, Shakib
had reached 42 off 30. He introduced a second wind to that innings now,
hitting short deliveries from Yasir Arafat for four and six to bring up
his fifty.
Another period of calm followed when Arafat and Shahid Afridi managed
two wickets in five deliveries, but Kamran failed to make it three in
eight when he dropped a sitter from Nasir Hossain. At 133 for 4 in the
16th over Shakib remained the main threat. He moved around the crease in
the 18th over to pay with Umar Gul's length, scoping, flicking and
cover-driving for fours. With 33 coming off the last three overs,
Pakistan's travel agent might have had a look at Karachi fares, but
Nazir put them back on their way to Colombo.
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