Bangladesh overcame a spirited effort from Nepal to clinch the final Super 8 spot in the 2024 T20 World Cup. That spot was always Bangladesh’s for the taking coming into the game but a poor batting performance saw them get bowled out for just 106, giving the Netherlands a sniff. Given how the Dutch began their run chase against Sri Lanka in pursuit of 202, there would have been concerns in the Bangladesh camp but their bowlers came up with a terrific performance to get the job done.
Where was the game won?
Tanzim Hasan Shakib finished with figures of 4/7, including 21 dot balls which is a record. However, the game was still won at the death by Mustafizur who bowled two stunning overs with the game still hanging in the balance. The left-arm pacer conceded 1 run in the 17th over before coming up with a wicket-maiden in the 19th to crush Nepal’s hopes.
Bangladesh
Powerplay – Horror start
Phase Score – 31/4 (RR – 5.16, 4s/6s – 4/0)
Bangladesh made the worst possible start they could have imagined heading into a crucial game such as this one. Tanzid Hasan was back in the pavilion after just two balls and skipper Najmul Shanto was bowled in the second over of the game as Nepal stunned Bangladesh. After two quiet overs, it was the turn of Litton Das to depart as he mistimed a pull to get a top edge. The big wicket of Towhid Hridoy in the final over of the powerplay pegged them back further.
Middle overs – Nepal continue to keep Bangladesh in check
Phase Score – 44/3 (RR – 4.88, 4s/6s – 3/0)
Another phase of the game that wasn’t productive enough for Bangladesh. Mahmudullah did cut Sandeep Lamichhane for a boundary and Shakib fetched one in the following over but then a miscommunication between the two seniors resulted in the right-hander losing his wicket that kept Nepal on top again. Runs were hard to come by in the middle overs and in the process, Bangladesh also lost the wicket of Shakib.
Death overs – Hopes in the balance
Phase Score – 31/3 (RR – 6.88, 4s/6s – 3/1)
Bangladesh couldn’t do much at the death. There were a couple of timely boundaries from Rishad Hossain but apart from that, Bangladesh had nothing to show for. They were eventually bowled out for just 106 and that meant their qualification hopes were hanging in the balance.
Nepal
Powerplay – Poorer than Bangladesh
Phase Score – 24/4 (RR – 4.00, 4s/6s – 5/0)
How do you fare worse than a team that posted 31/4 in a powerplay? Ask Nepal. They made an awful start. Despite not losing a wicket in the first two overs, Nepal were pegged back in the third as Tanzim struck twice in the space of three deliveries. Aasif Sheikh tried to break the shackles with two boundaries in the following over but wickets kept falling. Mustafizur got Aasif as Nepal finished with 24/4 in the powerplay.
Middle overs – Nepal recover
Phase score – 41/1 (RR – 4.55, 4s/6s – 2/0)
With Tanzim breathing fire, Najmul opted to bowl out the pacer in search of wickets. The move paid dividends as he struck in his final over as well to finish with stunning figures of 4/7. But from 26/5, Nepal staged a commendable recovery. With the target being just 107, they didn’t have to worry about the required rate. Dipendra Singh and Kushal Malla kept rotating strike and brought the equation down to 42 from the final five overs.
Death overs – Mustafizur seals the deal
Phase Score – 20/5 (RR – 4.61, 4s/6s – 1/2)
For a brief moment, there was hope for Nepal. Kushal Malla hit a six and a four off Mahmudullah. There was also a terrific six from Dipendra off Taskin Ahmed that brought the equation down to 23 off 17. But on either side of that six were two brilliant overs from Mustafizur that proved to be too good for Nepal. Mustafizur first removed Kushal in the 17th over and then delivered a stunning penultimate over to swing the game completely in favour of Bangladesh, Dipendra, who has a huge six-hitting reputation, failed to put bat on ball for five successive deliveries in the 19th over before edging the final ball to the keeper while attempting a single. Shakib then opened his account in the tournament with successive wickets in the final over to finish the game.
Brief scores: Bangladesh 106 in 19.3 overs (Sompal Kami 2/10, Sandeep Lamichhane 2/17) beat Nepal 85 in 19.2 overs (Kushal Malla 27; Tanzim Hasan Shakib 4/7) by 21 runs
What next?
Nepal head home after an impressive campaign. Bangladesh travel to Antigua where they take on Australia in their first Super 8s game on June 20.
