Posted by Second contest of the T20 World Cup, Bangladesh were up against Scotland at the Al Amerat Cricket ground that saw Chris Greaves star for Scotland first with the bat and then with the ball. Experienced Bangladesh did make it a thriller but were too late to press the accelerator.
Bangladesh won the toss and opt to bowl first. BANGLADESH’S XI : Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (C), Afif Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman.
SCOTLAND’S XI : Kyle Coetzer (C), George Munsey, Matthew Cross (wk), Richie Berrington, Calum MacLeod, Michael Leask, Chris Greaves, Mark Watt, Josh Davey, Safyaan Sharif, Brad Wheal.
George Munsey got Scotland underway with a boundary before Bangladesh bagged an early wicket, Kyle walked back for a 7 ball duck; an absolutely beauty from Saifuddin that cleaned up skipper, Kyle. Munsey and Cross stitched a partnership that saw Scotland end powerplay on 39-1. Mahedi Hasan in his first over picked up a couple as Cross was first to depart on 11(17) and the 40 run partnership saw curtains, Munsey was his second on 29(23) and Scotland at halfway mark were 51-3. Shakib was next to bag in a couple in an over as Berrington and Leask walked back on 2 and 0 respectively, Scotland lost a wicket more to the spin web as MacLeod on 5(14) was dismissed by Mahedi Hasan. Chris Greaves and Mark Watt got Scotland back in the contest as the duo kept finding the odd boundary, maximums and got Scotland past the 100 mark. The key 47 run stand saw curtain as Taskin Ahmed bagged the wicket of Watt on 22(17). Mustafizur in the last over bagged a couple as Chris Greaves punished hard before being dismissed on 45(28) and Davey was next to depart on 8(4), Wheal denied Mustafizur a hat-trick and Sharif with a maximum and a couple got Scotland to survive the 20 and post a competitive 140.
Mahedi Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan bowled their 4 and bagged 3 and 2 wickets respectively with economy under 5. Saifuddin and Mustafizur bowled their 4, both having received some treatment in an over were slightly expensive but had a wicket and two respectively. Taskin bowled 3 and had a very expensive over that puts his economy on the expensive side but had a wicket to his name. Afif bowled an over and was an expensive one.
Soumya Sarkar got Bangladesh’s scoring off with a boundary before Davey picked up his first as Soumya was dismissed on 5(5), fellow opener Liton Das too was soon dismissed on 5(7) and Bangladesh finsihed powerplay with 25-2 on board. Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim guided Bangladesh back in and got a 18 run over that saw the side get to 59-2 at halfway mark. Chris Greaves was into the attack and first ball bagged the wicket of Shakib Al Hasan on 20(28) and the hero with the bat gets a breakthrough with the ball and the 47 run stand saw curtains. Rahim was next to depart and it again was Chris Greaves with the wicket, Rahim walked back on fine 38(36) and intentless batting saw the game slip away from Bangladesh as the asking rate was over 10 at a stage. Bangladesh did manage to hold on for a while that saw them get past the 100 mark in the 16th over. Kyle’s captaincy continued to impress as he brought the left arm spinner in and Scotland in a crunch moment got the wicket of dangerous looking Afif Hossain on 18(12). Bangladesh were losing it and Scotland needed to capitalise and did so as Wheal struck a couple in an over as Narul on 2(3) and skipper Mahmudullah departed on 23(22). With 25 to get off the final over Hasan with the bat did take the game close but the hits came in late and at the end Bangladesh fell 7 short. Mehadi Hasan remained unbeaten on 13(5).
Was an impressive and courageous bowling effort by Scotland as they defended 140 and hold their impression of defending low totals. Mark Watt, Josh Davey and Bradley Wheal bowled their complete 4 with economy of 6 and below and bagged 1,1 and 3 wickets respectively. Chris Greaves bagged a couple, both of set and experienced batters and finsihed his 3 with economy just over 6. Sharif and Leask where the only expensive bowlers on show for Scotland.
A day to remember for Chris Greaves, with the bat a fantastic 45(28) and with the ball bagged 2 wickets of set batters at a crucial stage in the game that turned the game around. Scotland will not wish a collapse again and after this win will only look better. T20’s do hand upsets and Bangladesh with a defeat have had an eye opener for the remaining couple of games to make it to super 12.
Bureau of sports 