| Pakistan in semi | Mangalam

Adelaide: Pakistan’s semi-final hopes were alive after South Africa lost. If they beat Bangladesh, they are guaranteed to enter the semi-finals. After winning by five wickets, the Pakistani players were overjoyed. Batting first, Bangladesh scored 127 for 8. Batting back, Pakistan scored the winning run with 11 balls to spare. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and decided to bat first. Najmal Hossain Shanto (54 off 48 balls) and Litan Das (10 off eight balls) got off to a good start. Shaheen Shah Afridi started the wicket-hunting by taking Liton to Shan Masood. Shabad Khan also struck, dismissing Soumya Sarkar (20 off 17 balls including a six and a four) and Shakib (0) off successive balls. Mossadak Hossain (24 not out from 20 balls) joined Shanto and the scoring sped up.

Mossadak Hossain (five), Nurul Hasan (0), Taskin Ahmed (one) and Nazum Ahmed (seven) were out soon after. Shanto was dismissed by Iftikhar Ahmed. Shaheen Shah Afridi was the best among the Pak bowlers who conceded 22 runs in four overs and took four wickets.

Shabad Khan took two wickets and Haris Rauf and Iftikhar Ahmed took one wicket each. Things were not easy for Pakistan who batted in reply. Mohammad Rizwan should have been out in the very first over bowled by Taskin Ahmed. Wicket keeper Nurul Hasan could not get a hold of Rizwan’s catch. Rizwan (32 off 32 balls with one six and two fours) got off to a cautious start with skipper Babar Azam (25 off 33 balls).

The openers got off to a slow start as Pakistan piled on the pressure. They scored 57 runs on the opening wicket but 10 overs had passed. Both were dismissed in successive overs. Muhammad Nawaz (four) was run out and shocked them. As Mohammad Haris (31 off 18 balls with two sixes and a four) started hitting, the pressure eased. Shakib Naas also brought Harris to Ahmed’s hands.

Shan Masood scored 24 runs off 14 balls. Bangla’s hopes rose with the dismissal of Iftikhar Ahmed (one in three balls) and Mustafizur Rahman. But Harris took the winning run by witnessing Shadab Khan (0). Shaheen Shah Afridi, who bowled well, was the star of the match.