Shakib Al Hasan. (Photo Source: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
In a gripping encounter at Kingstown, Bangladesh emerged victorious by 25 runs over the Netherlands in the 27th match of Group D at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Batting first, Bangladesh posted a competitive total of 159/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Tanzid Hasan set the tone with a brisk 35 off 26 balls, while Shakib Al Hasan played a crucial role with an unbeaten 64 off 46 deliveries, featuring nine boundaries. Contributions from Mahmudullah (25 off 21) and Jaker Ali (14* off 7) bolstered their innings. The Netherlands bowlers found some success with Paul van Meekeren and Aryan Dutt both picking up two wickets.
Chasing 160 runs, the Netherlands got off to a shaky start losing early wickets. Sybrand Engelbrecht provided resistance with a quickfire 33 off 22 balls, supported by Vikramjit Singh’s 26 off 16 balls. However, Bangladesh’s disciplined bowling attack, led by Rishad Hossain (3/33) and Taskin Ahmed (2/30), kept the pressure on. Despite late efforts from the lower order, the Netherlands could only manage 134/8 in their 20 overs, falling short of the target.
Shakib Al Hasan’s unbeaten innings and Rishad Hossain’s crucial wickets were pivotal in Bangladesh’s victory, ensuring they maintained control throughout the match. With this win, Bangladesh strengthens their position in Group D, while the Netherlands will look to bounce back in their upcoming matches.
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After the match, Shakib Al Hasan, Player of the Match, emphasized the importance of a top-order batter anchoring the innings on a challenging pitch. He expressed satisfaction with his contribution, highlighting Rishad Hossain and Taskin Ahmed’s pivotal roles in securing Bangladesh’s victory. Shakib noted the rarity of matches on this ground in recent years, which influenced their strategy to consolidate until the later overs. Despite the wind and defensive challenges, he credited the bowlers for executing their plans effectively, acknowledging the pitch conditions aided by the use of neck braces during batting.
“It was important for someone from top 4 to bat through the innings. Happy to contribute. It was a tough pitch. Was a challenging total, not a winning one, but Rishad and Taskin took it away from Netherlands. Hardly any game was played in the last 4-5 years here. So had to keep wickets till 14-15 overs and take it from there. They had their moments, 10 runs an over on this ground, wind going in one way, made it tough to defend. But credit to bowlers for pulling it off. Neck braces was for batting and it did help,” he said.