Sunday, Bangladesh returned to the Twenty20 World Cup with a thrilling last-ball victory over Zimbabwe, boosted by opener Najmul Shanto’s first fifty and Taskin Ahmed’s three wickets.
Shanto (71) contributed to Bangladesh’s 150-7 score at Brisbane’s Gabba pitch in a contest that went down to the wire, with Zimbabwe requiring 16 runs off an extraordinary final over.
Two wickets fell, a six was hit, and the teams thought the match was over, only to be returned.
Bangladesh felt they had won when Blessing Muzarabani, who needed five to win, was stumped attempting to knock a six off the final ball. The fielding team celebrated as the players shook hands and departed the field.
It was ruled a no-ball after a review revealed that wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan’s gloves had touched the ball in front of the wickets, which is forbidden.
The sides were required to return for a free hit with four required to win, but Muzarabani missed again, leaving Zimbabwe short at 147-8.
Shanto stated, “This is an entirely new experience for us, but we felt we could do well under pressure.”
“There was some trepidation, but we believed we could succeed.
Man-of-the-match Ahmed, who took 3-19, said, with reference to the last-ball drama, “I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
Bangladesh now has four points in Group 2 with two games remaining, tying them with India, who face South Africa (three points) in Perth on Sunday evening.
Pakistan faces the Netherlands in a must-win match, again in Perth, with neither team having earned a point thus far.
Brilliant catch
Zimbabwe, which surprised Pakistan by one run on Thursday, now has three points and remains in the chase for a semi-final berth.
Two individuals from each group advance to the final four.
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and elected to bat, but fast bowler Muzarabani dismissed opener Soumya Sarkar without scoring in the second over.
Shanto hit two early fours during his 22-run partnership with Liton Das before Das was caught by Tendai Chatara off a slower Muzarabani delivery.
Zimbabwe bowled cheaply despite shaky fielding to hold the score at 63-2 at the halfway point.
Shanto scored his first T20 fifty off 45 balls, Bangladesh’s first half-century of the competition, as Bangladesh crossed that threshold and got more aggressive.
Al Hasan, who has been in every T20 World Cup since its debut in 2007, escaped a run-out opportunity on 23 at the other end but was caught wonderfully by Muzarabani off spinner Sean Williams five balls later, breaking a 54-run stand.
Shanto continued to bat with Hossain until he holed out to Craig Ervine, after which Bangladesh scored 47 runs in the final five overs.
Wessly Madhevere was caught edging Ahmed to Mustafizur Rahman on the third ball of Zimbabwe’s reply, putting the hosts on the back foot immediately.
Two overs later, captain Craig Ervine followed him back to the pavilion after edging to wicketkeeper Hasan and Ahmed takes his second wicket.
Zimbabwe was reduced to 35-4 when Mustafizur Rahman bowled Milton Shumba on his second delivery and Sikandar Raza was out in the same over.
Sean Williams (64) and Regis Chakabva brought them to 64-4 after 10 overs, but a bowling change with Ahmed returning to dismiss Chakabva broke the partnership (15).
They required 56 from the next five overs, and when Williams was run out with eight balls remaining, it appeared like their hopes had been dashed before the dramatic final -.