Bangladesh got their Twenty20 World Cup back on track on Sunday with a thrilling last-ball victory over Zimbabwe, helped by Najmul Shanto’s maiden half-century and Taskin Ahmed’s three wickets.
Shanto (71) helped take Bangladesh to 150-7 at the Gabba in Brisbane in a match that went down to the wire with Zimbabwe needing 16 from an incredible last over.
It saw two wickets fall, a big six and teams walking away thinking the game was over, only to be reminded.
Bangladesh believed they had won when Blessing Muzarabani, needing five to win, was stumped trying to hit a last-ball six with the fielding team celebrating as the players shook hands and left the field.
But a review showed wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan’s gloves caught the ball in front of the stumps, which is illegal, and it was called a no-ball.
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Bangladesh hold on for CRAZY win | 01:22
The teams had to return to the field for a free with four needed to win, but Muzarabani spun and missed again, leaving Zimbabwe short on 147-8.
The win pushed Bangladesh to four points in Group 2 with two matches to go level with India who face South Africa, who have three points, in Perth later on Sunday.
Pakistan take on the Netherlands in a must-win game, also in Perth, with neither team picking up a single point.
The defeat left Zimbabwe, who stunned Pakistan by one run on Thursday, still in the hunt for a place in the semi-finals with three points.
The top two from each group advance to the last four.
Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and elected to bat on a glorious day only to see opener Soumya Sarkar depart in the second over not out, caught behind off bowler Muzarabani.
Shanto hit two early boundaries as he put on 22 with Liton Das before Das gave us a catch off Tendai Chatara off a slower delivery from Muzarabani.
Afif Hossain (L) hits the glove with Najmul Hossain Shanto (R) as he leaves the field after his dismissal. (Photo by Patrick HAMILTON / AFP) Source: AFP
Despite some play, Zimbabwe bowled economically to keep the score to 63-2 at the half.
But once that mark was passed, Bangladesh became more aggressive and rotated the attack well with Shanto hitting his maiden T20 50 off 45 balls, Bangladesh’s first half-century of the tournament.
Al Hasan, who has played in every T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007, survived a run of 23 at the other end but fell five balls later, caught brilliantly by Muzarabani off spinner Sean Williams , and put up a partnership of 54 runs. .
Shanto continued alongside Hossain and then put on Craig Ervine before Bangladesh took 47 from the last five overs.
Zimbabwe were immediately on the back foot in reply, with Wessly Madhevere out with just the third ball, getting Ahmed to Mustafizur Rahman at deep.
It got worse when skipper Craig Ervine followed him back into the pavilion two overs later, past wicketkeeper Hasan with Ahmed taking his second.
Mustafizur Rahman came into the attack and caught Milton Shumba with his second ball and then dangerman Sikandar Raza got out in the same over to leave Zimbabwe 35-4.
Sean Williams (64) and Regis Chakabva pushed them to 64-4 after 10 overs, but a change of bowling broke up the partnership with Ahmed returning to remove Chakabva (15).
They needed 56 from the last five overs and when Williams was run out with eight balls to spare, their hopes looked to be over before the dramatic final over.
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PAKISTAN MAKE HISTORY IN CRUCIAL WIN
Elsewhere, Pakistan won their first T20 international in Australia after a six-wicket win over the Netherlands.
Pakistan restricted Netherlands to 91-9 in their must-win Super 12 match with spinner Shadab Khan taking 3-22.
Pakistan, who went down to India and then Zimbabwe, and the Netherlands, who have been beaten by Bangladesh and South Africa, were in desperate need of an early win to hope to progress from Group 2 to the semi-finals .
Netherlands captain Scott Edwards won the toss and elected to bat first, but Pakistan’s new bowlers maintained a disciplined line-up to keep it within three runs from the first two overs.
Returning opener Stephan Myburgh broke the shackles with a boundary off Shaheen Shah Afridi only to fall the next ball, caught at fine leg attempting another big hit to be out for six.
There was no respite from Pakistan’s fast bowlers.
Pakistan’s Muhammad Wasim celebrates Fred Klaassen’s wicket. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Mohammad Wasim took two wickets in two balls only for Paul van Meekeren to survive the hat-trick delivery, and Haris Rauf made good use of the bounce on offer.
A nasty bouncer from Rauf went through the grill of Bas de Leede’s helmet, forcing the batsman off the ground with a bruised cheek.
Shadab’s leg-spin had Tom Cooper caught for one after the powerplay and then caught Max O’ Dowd lbw for eight in his next over.
After trailing to 34-3 after 10 overs, and with De Leede out injured for six, Netherlands captain Edwards and Colin Ackermann (27) tried to rebuild with a 35-run stand, but a once they broke up, the wickets continued to fall.
Shadab caught Ackermann lbw with a quicker, flatter delivery and Edwards fell soon after, for 15, to Naseem Shah.
Van Meekeren was the last to fall, running out the final ball for seven.
Opener Mohammad Rizwan led the way with the bat for Pakistan, making 49 runs to put them in a strong position to go on and claim victory, despite losing four wickets in the process.
TEAMS
Netherlands: Stephan Myburgh, Max O’Dowd, Bas de Leede, Colin Ackermann, Tom Cooper, Scott Edwards (capt), Roelof van der Merwe, Tim Pringle, Fred Klaassen, Brandon Glover, Paul van Meekeren
Pakistan: Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam (captain), Shan Masood, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
Referees: Paul Reiffel (AUS), Richard Illingworth (ENG)
TV Referee: Langton Eight (RSA)
Referee of the match: David Boon (AUS)
The ICC criticizes for a wet bad weather plan | 01:51
RAHUL WILL NOT BE REPLACED AS INDIA PREPARES FOR SOUTH AFRICA
India’s batting coach on Saturday said his side are not fazed by the fast bowling as they prepared to face South Africa on a swollen pitch in Perth in the Twenty20 World Cup.
One of the favorites to win the tournament, India have had a perfect start to the Super 12 stage with two wins, including one over arch-rivals Pakistan.
A win against the Proteas on Sunday would almost guarantee a place in the semi-finals. But a South African attack featuring Kagiso Rabada, Wayne Parnell and Anrich Nortje is set to test the Indian batsmen on a Perth track that has so far provided pace and bounce in the World Cup.
Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour, however, expressed confidence in his team’s ability to navigate the conditions.
“The group of hitters we have in our team, I don’t think the pace will bother us that much,” he said.
Superstar Virat Kohli has led India’s batting charge Down Under, with an unbeaten 82 in a last-ball win against Pakistan in Melbourne.
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Kohli, skipper Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav hammered the Dutch bowling as a second win took them to the top of Group 2.
KL Rahul’s form has been a concern, however, after he scored four and nine in the two matches.
Asked whether the team management wants to replace Rahul with Rishabh Pant, Rathour replied with a firm ‘No’.
“Two games, I don’t think that’s a good enough sample size,” he said. “(Rahul) has been batting very well and has also batted very well in the practice matches.” So far in the World Cup, India have not made explosive starts and have gone with a more conservative approach and getting runs in the last overs.
“I don’t think it’s 200, more than 200 wickets, so we’ll have to adjust,” Rathour said.
“I think we’ve done pretty well in that regard so far.”