Hindustan Surkhiyan Desk: Mushfiqur Rahim scored 99 and Mohammad Mithun added 60 as Bangladesh posted 239 against Pakistan in the virtual semifinal of the Asia Cup at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi today.
The two batsmen came together with the Tigers in all sorts of trouble, having lost their top three batsmen for 12 runs within the first five overs. Pakistan’s two left-arm opening bowlers – Junaid Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi – were brilliant, with Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das and Mominul Islam failing to negotiate their immaculate line and length.
But the two middle-order batsmen, who had forged a 131-run third-wicket partnership in as similar situation in their opening game of the Asia Cup against Sri Lanka, set about their job of setting up a big platform while keeping the scoring rate high.
When Mithun departed for 60 off 84 deliveries, featuring four boundaries, he had already notched his second half-century of the tournament and his career, and more importantly, Bangladesh were in a strong position at 156 in 33.4 overs. Mushfiqur, despite cramping in oppressive conditions, managed to trudge on towards another big innings.
Imrul Kayes, who scored an unbeaten 74 against Afghanistan the other day, stuck around for only nine before Mahmudullah Riyad joined Mushfiqur. The wicket-keeper batsman, however, fell one short of his seventh century, falling to a beautiful delivery from Afridi, having scored 99 from 116 deliveries with nine boundaries. It was the first time that any Bangladesh batsmen was dismissed for 99 in ODIs, but the third time for Mushfiqur to get dismissed on 90s.
The innings kind of tapered off from there as Bangladesh kept losing wickets and eventually were bowled out for 239 in 48.5 overs.
Bangladesh made three changes to their playing eleven, bringing in Soumya, Mominul and Rubel Hossain, replacing Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Nazmul Islam and Shakib Al Hasan, with the latter ruled out due to a finger injury.
