NEW DELHI: Shakib Al Hasan took it upon himself so as to add some spark to a reasonably insignificant World Cup right here on the Arun Jaitley stadium on Monday. When he determined to attraction for a ‘timed out’ dismissal in opposition to Angelo Mathews within the twenty fifth over of the match, he knew it was as much as him to see Bangladesh house in opposition to their bitter rivals Sri Lanka.
And Shakib emerged triumphed in an ill-tempered match as his fluent 65-ball 82, together with Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s calm 101-ball 90, arrange Bangladesh’s three-wicket win with 9 overs to spare within the chase of 280.Mathews did hit again when he dismissed Shakib with a slower ball within the thirty second over. As Shakib walked again, the veteran Lankan allrounder sarcastically pointed at his wrist to counsel Shakib’s time was over. Finally, it’s Sri Lanka who’re working out of time to e-book a slot within the ICCChampions Trophy in 2025.

It was a match that was meant to show their relevance in world cricket. Each groups have been pushed to a nook within the World Cup. It was a state of affairs the place ego may simply take over. It might appear that it did for Shakib when he refused to withdraw his attraction in opposition to Mathews. However, in doing so, he additionally introduced to the remainder of the workforce that he was up for a combat because the captain of a workforce mired in controversy for months main as much as the World Cup. He threw a problem for himself.

The incident did spur on Sri Lanka. From a difficult 132/5, Charith Asalanka performed a measured knock of 108 off 105 balls to assist Sri Lanka put up 279. However the Lankan combat got here too late within the match. This complete on a deck that has produced World cup document scores through the match was all the time beneath par. The extreme dew was all the time going to take their spinners out of the sport. As soon as Shakib and Shanto settled right into a partnership for the third wicket, Sri Lanka’s finest wager was to hope for a Bangladesh implosion.
As It Occurred
Bangladesh did threaten to implode within the again finish of the chase. However Shakib’s dominance with the bat had put the sport past. He was strolling all the way down to the seamers and positioned the ball at his will. Twelve boundaries and two sixes later, Sri Lanka had been left ruing a dropped probability when he was batting on seven.
Loads experience on Shakib. He has been Bangladesh’s go-to-man at any time when in disaster. He’s their greatest cricketing model. With all that has been happening Bangladesh cricket within the final 5 months, the board had positioned its hope in Shakib. Six straight losses and the label of being the primary workforce to be eradicated from the race for a semis spot had been sure to place Shakib below stress. And he responded. First, with the ball as he claimed 2/57 whereas rotating his bowlers immaculately to maintain Lanka below verify. After which with the bat. Arising the order, he knew he needed to take accountability for spurring on the Lankans. And he did that with aplomb.
Bangladesh could also be respiration simpler in relation to their speedy future in worldwide cricket. However Shakib would know in his coronary heart that this fightback got here a tad too late for his workforce. As for Sri Lanka, their cricketing id is below severe risk.