Bangladesh bowed out the T20 World Cup with a sour note after suffering an eight-run defeat to Afghanistan on DLS method in their last match of the Super 8 phase at St Vincent in West Indies today [25 June].
The Tigers which moved to the second round of a T20 World Cup for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2007, lost all of the three matches in this phase.
They began the match with a slim hope to make it semifinal after Australia opened the gate for them by tasting a 24-run defeat to India.
Bangladesh, however, were well on course of materializing the hopes when they held Afghanistan off to 115-5 in 20 overs. To make it semifinal by beating the teams like Australia and Afghanistan on net run rate, Bangladesh were given the target to chase it down by 12.1 overs.
Even though on a tricky pitch, it was always a tough target to chase but given their habit of playing in this kind of wicket at home always, Bangladesh are believed to overhaul it.
But apart from Liton Das, no one could show the determination and stubbornness, which first ruined Bangladesh's hopes to chase down the total in 12.1 overs and later paved their defeat as they were bowled out for 105 in 17.5 overs.
Liton Das battled lonely to be stranded on 54 off 49 with five fours and one six.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan claimed 4-23 while fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq also snapped up 4-26 including Bangladesh's last two wickets to send the team to the semifinal for the first time in their country's history.
Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first in a match hit by rain quite a several times, knowing that a victory would put them in the semifinal. The possibility of the proud history seemed to have put a huge pressure on them as their batters looked nervous.
Still Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, the two openers grinded it out to put on 59 runs for the opening stand but they took 10.4 overs to get it.
Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain who took 3-26 and achieved the feat to take highest wickets for Bangladesh in a single edition of the tournament, going past Shakib Al Hasan's record, struck twice to dismiss those two openers.
Gurbaz made team-best 43 off 55 with three fours and one six while Zadran scored 18. In between Mustafizur Rahman took the wicket of Azmatullah Omarzai for 10. Taskin who ended with 4-1-12-1 and Mustafizur who had figures of 4-0-17-1, stifled Afghanistan to slow down the scoring rate.
However, Rashid Khan hit three sixes off Tanzim Hasan Sakib in the last over to help the side post 115-5 and those three sixes eventually made all the difference.
Liton Das started the chase with a bang, taking 13 runs in the first over and Bangladesh looked on the course to chase it down by 12.1 overs.
But apart from Liton, no one could come with the terms. After Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed Tanzid Hasan Tamim for a three-ball-duck, Naveen-ul-Haq jolted Bangladesh, removing Najmul Hossain Shanto (5) and Shakib Al Hasan, also for duck, in consecutive deliveries.
With Bangladesh at 23-3, Liton and Soumya Sarkar (10) looked to have bailed Bangladesh out of danger but Rashid Khan struck to get rid of Soumya, ending 25-run partnership.
Rashid then got the better of Towhid Hridoy, who made second best 14, before he claimed the wicket of experienced Mahmudullah (6) and Rishad Hossain for duck to put Afghanistan on the verge of the victory.
Liton finally found form after a lengthy batting patch and played with guts to keep Bangladesh in the hunt. But Naveen-ul-Haq brought the watershed moment for Afghanistan cricket by cleaning up the tail with a gem of pace bowling.
