Bangladesh Secures Super 8 Berth with Thrilling Victory over Nepal
The Group D Drama was still on the go until the Bangladesh vs Nepal match at Arnos Vale Stadium reached the end. Even after winning two out of three games, Bangladesh was not confident about a spot on the next stage as the Netherlands continued threatening with their last match with Sri Lanka. A victory was enough for Bangladesh to book the Super 8 ticket, and chances were still high even if Bangladesh lost the game. However, Bangladesh was looking for nothing but a dominating win.
On the other hand, Nepal is already out of the tournament after the heartbreaking one-run defeat against South Africa. Yet, this match, a potential turning point for Nepal cricket, presented a golden opportunity to showcase their talent and grit on the world stage. High expectations and mounting pressure converged, building towards a remarkable clash defining the fate of Bangladesh’s World Cup journey.
Bangladesh’s Poor Batting Again!
When the nature of the pitch is uncertain, the team that wins the toss usually goes for the field first. Nepal also did the same. When Bangladesh’s top-order batters struggled for a long time, Tanzid Tamim, the youngster, performed convincingly in the last match with the Netherlands. But surprisingly, he went down the ground to get caught at the first ball of the innings!
Skipper Shanto again failed with the bat, and Liton Das followed him. The passionate Bangladesh fans wake up at 5:30 AM on Eid Day, the prominent religious festival, and the match begins so frustratingly! Scoring a fighting total looked so challenging when Mahmudullah Riad, one of the most reliable batters of Bangladesh, got run out due to a wrong call from Shakib.
After the top-order batters failed, the middle and lower batters struggled throughout the match, where Taskin’s 12 of 15 contributed to exceeding the 100-run milestone and ended up with 106 in 20 overs, losing all the wickets! Sompal Kami, Dipendra Singh, Rohit Paudel, and Sandeep Lamichane took two wickets respectively with a meager economy from the Nepal bowling side.
Nepal’s Failure to Hold the Nerves in a Big Match!
The 2nd inning was vital as an individual performance of 50 runs would lead the way for Nepal! Notably, Nepal was looking to recover from the trauma of their last match and started the innings cautiously. But Tanzim Hasan Sakib’s aggressive bowling turned the low score into an arduous chase!
With an impressive bowling display, he took four valuable wickets of Nepal at the expense of only seven runs! The fantastic performance eased the job of other bowlers as Nepal was losing wickets regularly.
Yet, Nepal could have reached the mark if Mustafizur Rahman had not joined the party with three wickets at the expense of 7 runs like Tanzim Sakib! His best one was probably preserved for the 19th over, where he got a maiden over with the wicket of Dipendra Singh Airee, one of the best batters in Nepal! Thus, Nepal’s chase ended at only 85 runs, ensuring a 21-run victory for Bangladesh.
Match Summary
Nepal won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Bangladesh: 106/10 (19.3 overs)
Nepal: 85/10 (19.2 overs)
Player of the match: Tanzim Hasan Sakib
Bangladesh in the Super 8 to Fight Against India and Australia
Finally, Bangladesh has made it to the Super 8 of the T20 World Cup 2024! The performance they have shown with a consecutive loss against Zimbabwe and USA, even the most optimistic fan couldn’t think of it confidently. But the thrilling win against Sri Lanka changed the scenario totally. The close encounter with South Africa, the regrettable loss of 4 runs due to the wrong decision from field umpired, reversed by the review, frustrated Bangladesh with a four-run loss but boosted the players’ confidence.
The win with the Netherlands was a must, and they successfully won. Even if they lost against Nepal, they could move to the Super 8 as the Netherlands lost against Sri Lanka. Now, Bangladesh is in Group A of the Super 8 stage with Australia, India, and Afghanistan.
Schedule in Super 8
Date: 20th June, 2024
Opponent: Australia
Venue: Antigua
Date: 22nd June, 2024
Opponent: India
Venue: Antigua
Date: 24th June, 2024
Opponent: Afghanistan
Venue: St Vincent
Key Areas Bangladesh Needs to Focus on
Reaching Super 8 is not the end of the journey. Soumya Sarkar, a Bangladeshi batter, said before the tournament that it was not the semi-final but Bangladesh’s eyes on the final! So, it’s time to dream big for Bangladesh!
But the journey won’t be easy considering the strength of the opponents. Yet, chances are there. When Bangladesh’s batting department struggles long before the tournament begins, the bowlers always light the hope. The unfortunate injury of Shariful Islam during the warm-up match against India frightened every Bangladesh fan as he is the key bowler of Bangladesh with consistency and swing.
However, the replacement, Tanzim Sakib, is now leading the pace attack at the powerplay which has forced Shariful to wait to get a spot in the starting 11 even after recovering. Besides, Mustafizur Rahman, after returning from IPL, has found his rhythm. Rishad Hassan, the leg spinner, also strengthened the bowling unit.
However, Bangladesh must improve their batting department to defeat teams like Australia or India. The top-order batter continuously fails to perform, which is the biggest concern now. However, the world-class allrounder Shakib Al Hasan got his first wicket in the last group match against Nepal and batted well for two consecutive matches.
Let’s see how the team performs in Super 8, the more demanding tournament stage!
Conclusion
So, this is the story of Bangladesh, a nation entirely of passionate supporters! The supporters are always there wherever this team plays, no matter how poorly or strongly they perform. When many thought the match against Nepal was the last match of Bangladesh, it’s now official that Bangladesh has at least three more matches in the Super 8!
Each team is a favorite in the game of uncertainty, especially regarding the shorter version. Before facing Afghanistan, they will face Australia and India. It’s worth remembering that with a fantastic knock from Liton Das, Bangladesh was about to secure a win against India in the last T20 World Cup. It’s an ample opportunity to complete the unfinished job!
The stage is set. It’s time to enjoy the classy show of cricket!
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