Cricket running the veins, till next time
Every ball bowled in Melbourne, 8,904 kilometers away, a humming noise filled the air of Bangladesh.The humming turned into shouts and screams as the boys in Melbourne Cricket Ground took wickets.
In every household, families remained glued to the TV set releasing ‘Yaas’ and ‘Noos’ as Taskin and Mashrafee threw the ball at the Indian openers who looked rock solid at the world’s largest cricket stadium.
Throughout Bangladesh, people looked forward to the first ever world cup quater final reached by Bangladesh on this day of March 19th. At places around the country young men organized outdoor live broadcast of the match where they descended in numbers from the very early morning. They cheered every move of their favorite national team. At times, they got frustrated, throwing their fists in the air as the reigning world champions hammered Mashrafee 85 meters away for a boundary on the very first ball of the innings. All the way they were cheerful and noisy. After all, this nation has fought its way to the highest stages of cricket for the first time! Even a loss to the mighty Indians would place them in the top eight cricketing nations of the planet! We had nothing to lose.
At the tenth over, the Indian opening duos did not look bothered at all. The run rate was a staggering 5.5 per over. TV commentator Dean Jones criticized Mashrafee whose average bowing speed slowed down to the 120 kmph mark.
There was hardly any venom in the bowling attack until after the 15th over when Sakib sparked at the infantry line.The ingenious cricketer in his first over produced a magic of a delivery to lure the Indian opener into losing the wicket.
A terrific Rubel at the pace of 140 km then removed the giant of today’s cricket, Virat Kohli in the 18th over, a player who has an average of over 100 every time he’s batted against Bangladesh. The successive wickets almost instantly brought the Indian camp a silent alarm. For the next 61 balls there was no boundary as Rohit and Rahane tried to settle down!
At the 25th over India were restricted to 108 for two. Breakthrough again came on the last ball off Taskin in the 28th over when Sakib scooped an easy catch at mid off undoing Rahane.
As the innings progressed to 40 overs, Raina and Rohit looked to be implementing a thorough game plan and rose to a partnership of 71 in ten overs with a team score of 205. With dreadful misfields and overthrows, the tigers again slipped into a morbid state and the end score for the Indians increasingly looked healthier. In his early 90s, Rohit survived a Rubel attack having been caught thanks to umpire AlimDar who called a legitimate delivery a ‘no ball’ as he found it to be over the waist height. Slow motion reviews showed the ball was in fact below waist line. The wrong decision forced the commentators alleging Dar “losing confidence”. Saurav Ganguly was later heard saying that the umpires should always go upstairs before making such important decisions in which matches could turn.
The last ball of the 42nd over Rohit got his excellent century with a couple of runs– an important 100 that his team needed so desperately.
Breakthrogh came for Mashrafee when Raina was gone to Mushi the wicketkeeper. Frightening Dhoni followed in at 241.
But the real fright came from Rohit as he unleashed his bat in spectacular style hitting sixes and fours at his will. But brilliant Taskin stood on his way with a perfect yorker, bowling him out for a brilliant 137 to his credit in 126 balls.
Taskin struck again taking Dhoni, caught on the last ball of the 49th over. But India moved into 296 for six wickets on the last over.
India finished the innings 302 for 6.
Bangladesh had a mountain to climb against the formidable Indians.
Bangladesh Batting
Tamim and Kayes opened the innings for the tigers. They had to score over five runs an over to go anywhere near the Indian score.
But the tigers visibly lacked temperament. Tamim was picked up by Dhoni as he threw his bat at everything passing by and then Kayes followed him in a silly run out. Bangladesh were 33 for 2 in 7 overs. Mahmudullah, the famous double centurion of this world cup tied up with Sarker on the crease. The nation raised hope.
Not for long. Mahmudullah was caught trying to pull a ball for six with Bangladesh batting dwindling with 73 for 3. The catch taken by Shikhar Dhawan on the boundary ropes was again controversial as he juggled the ball on the ropes, to complete the catch. Sakib now joined Sarkar trying somehow naively to rescue the situation.
Having guided a beautifully executed boundary in the leg, Sarkar tried to repeat the same shot in the next delivery off the medium pacer Mohammad Shami. Dhoni only delighted Indian supporters with a brilliant catch behind.
Mushfiqur and Sakib on the crease again raised hope while Rahul Dravid, Naser Hossain and Shane Wayne cracked jokes in the commentary box about the possible result of the match.
Not much later, Sabbir came in to bat because Sakib offered a regulation catch to the leg side fielder, leaving his team at 105 for 5 in 29 overs.
On the first ball after the drinks break, Dhoni again assured the Bangladesh team of a definite homecoming after the match with India. He caught Mushfiqur trying a big shot off fast bowler Yadav. Bangladesh were 144 for 6. Came in the lanky slow bowler, Nasir to bat with Sabbir. The result of the match became so obvious that former cricketers-cum-commentators started taking trips into their own memory lanes rather than talking about the match.
The late resistance could not save Nasir. He was gone caught on mid on scoring 35 and setting a partnership of 50 with Sabbir. Mashrafee joined in with Sabbir at 190 for 7.
Couple of balls later Sabbir edged to Dhoni and was gone.
Rubel, praised for his bowling in the match, came in as the 10thwicket. It was only a matter of time now. The end for our heroes in the World Cup 2015 came when Rubel and Sabbir fell within half an over. Taskin was not out. India beat Bangladesh by 109 runs.
Well done Bangladesh! See you in the next World Cup!
Scorecard:
India 302 for 6 (Rohit 137, Raina 65, Taskin 3-69) beat Bangladesh 193 (Nasir 35, Yadav 4-31, Shami 2-37) by 109 runs
Story by: Morshed Ali Khan
Special thanks to STAR SPORTS LIVE
Short URL: https://reportsbd.com/?p=321
Posted by Reportsbd
on Mar 19 2015. Filed under Home Slide, Sports.
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