Bangladesh managed to scored 181-7 in their last game of the preliminary stage of the ICC T20 World Cup against Papua New Guinea as Tigers must win this match to reach the Super 12 stage.
Skipper Mahmudullah Riyad was the highest scorer for Bangladesh with 50 from 28 deliveries, with Shakib Al Hasan scoring 46. Mohammad Saifuddin played a fierce cameo at the end as he scored 19 off just six deliveries.
Bangladesh managed 68 runs in the last five overs, their most in this tournament so far.
Winning the toss, Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah opted to bat first again after the Tigers fielded an unchanged XI.
Mohammad Naim, after his 64 against Oman, went back for a duck in the second ball of the innings as Bangladesh’s opening woes continued. But a 50-run stand between Liton Das (29) and Shakib calmed nerves down for them before Liton tried to slog PNG skipper Assad Vala but only to give a dolly to square leg.
Shakib, struggling with the humidity in Muscat, kept the scoreboard ticking before Vala made him his second wicket, courtesy of a brilliant catch from Charles Amini. In between Liton and Shakib, Mushfiqur Rahim (5) returned too as his lean patch continued.
It was Mahmudullah’s knock that provided Bangladesh the momentum as his 27-ball fifty took the Tigers’ run rate over eight, but right after hitting fifty, he went back to the pavilion.
Then, cameos from Afif Hossain (21) and Saifuddin (19*) took Bangladesh to 181-7.
