T20 World Cup 2022
Pakistan VS Bangladesh Played at Adelaide Oval on 6 November 2022
Pakistan 128/5 (Mohammad Rizwan 32, Mohammad Harris 31, Babar Azom 25 Shan Masud 24*)
Bangladesh 125/7 (Nazmul Hasan Shanto 54, Afif Hossain 24*, Soumyo Sorkar 20, Shaheen Shah Afridi 4/22, Shdab Khan 2/30)
Player of the Match: Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Pakistan Won by 5 Wickets and Qualified for the Semi Final.
November 6, 2022 will go down as one of the never to be forgotten day in the history of T20 international cricket. A rank outsider ICC associate’s member country qualifying for the super 12 knocked out tournament favorite South Africa playing superlative cricket.
Their win opened up an opportunity for Pakistan and Bangladesh for qualifying for the semifinals from the group which was well beyond their dream. Pakistan beating Bangladesh by 5 wickets could exploit while Bangladesh failed reaching their dream. Batting first Bangladesh could manage only 125/7 in allotted overs. Pakistan overhauled the target scoring 128/5.
India and Pakistan are set to qualify from Group 2 while New Zealand and England have already qualified from Group 1.Bangladesh finished fourth in the group 2 of six teams.
Bangladesh came to T20 World cup with an experimental team leaving behind experienced professionals.
They managed recording 2 narrow wins against Netherlands and Zimbabwe. They had a great match against India which they lost by 5 runs after lot of controversies. They had an opportunity today. But truly speaking they do not possess to win against Pakistan in a crunch match. They could manage scoring only 125/7 though having scored 70/1 after 10 overs.
Their batters panicked against quality bowling of Shahen Shah Afridi bowling at pace and swinging. Only Nazmul Shanto played a patient innings of 54, his second fifty in the world cup. Apart from him only Afif (24*) and Soumyo (20) could post innings of substance. Shakib was unlucky adjudged LBW to a ball of Shadab which possibly was a bat pad. Otherwise all others batted like novice.
Pakistan did not well either / they had to bat 18.1 overs for reaching 128/5. Their star openers Rizwan (32) and Babar (25) got some runs but looked rusty. Bangladesh Bowlers Nasum (1/14), Mustafiz and Taskin bowled tight. However Harris (31) and Shan Masood (24*) took Pakistan across the rope. Pakistan subdued Bangladesh dream of making history.
Bangladesh should be satisfied with what they achieved. As a team Netherlands, Ireland, Zimabawe played much better than them. But maturing of Santo, Afif, Taskin were positives. Shakib was shadow of his past. Bangladesh off course almost rocked India. The team did not have the chemistry of reaching beyond what they achieved.
With the qualification Of India and Pakistan from Group 2 T20 world Cup Super 12 comes to an end. Several upsets have been witnessed in the Super 12. Ireland beat England, Zimbabwe beat South Africa, Afghanistan forced Australia win by the barest of Margin and today Netherlands beat South Africa.
The reigning champions Australia and tournament favorite South Africa are knocked out. The possibility of yet another India-Pakistan derby at mCG is looming.
BDST: 1616 HRS, NOV 06, 2022
MN/SMS
