T20 World Cup 2024: BAN vs SL - Who said What?

Match 15 of the T20 World Cup 2024 between familiar foes, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, culminated in yet another low-scoring thriller, ultimately favouring the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side. They commenced their campaign with a narrow two-wicket victory, achieved with an over to spare.

On a sluggish track at the Grand Prairie Stadium, Sri Lanka, having been put in to bat, could only labour their way to a meagre 124/9. This appeared decidedly subpar, particularly in the light of them seeming poised for a competitive total, positioned at 100/3 by the 14th over, given the robust foundation laid by opener, Pathum Nissanka, who contributed a solid 47 off 28 deliveries. Despite seasoned campaigner, Shakib Al Hasan, proving costly, conceding 30 runs in his three-over spell, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, and Rishad Hossain all delivered commendable performances. Together, they accounted for a collective nine wickets, maintaining an impressive economy rate of 5.5 runs per over.

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Despite Shanto's men losing their openers within the initial couple of overs, a stabilizing innings by wicketkeeper, Litton Das, and a brisk 20-ball-40 blitzkrieg by Towhid Hridoy enabled Bangladesh to narrowly secure victory with six deliveries in the bank. This was achieved despite a splendid spell from Nuwan Thushara, who recorded impressive figures of 4/18 in his allotted overs. In what is dubbed the Group of Death, advancing from the group stage already appears to be a formidable challenge for the Lankan Lions. Success will not only necessitate winning their remaining matches, but will also hinge on the outcomes of other fixtures favouring their campaign.

Talking Points

1) Wanindu Hasaranga's silent show, second duck in a row

The Lankan skipper has endured a forgettable start to the tournament, particularly with the bat. After being dismissed for a second-ball duck against South Africa, he succumbed to yet another ignominious dismissal against Afghanistan, this time falling for a golden duck. His premature closing of the bat's face resulted in a straightforward catch to first slip.

2) Lanka's Six-Over Woe: A Calamitous Blow

After establishing a promising position at 100/3 in 14 overs as previously indicated, the Lankan team experienced a complete collapse, succumbing to the dominance of the opposition. During this period, they could only accumulate a mere 24 runs while losing six wickets, leaving them in a state of utter disarray and placing them on the defensive as they prepared to defend their total.

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3) Magical 19-run over: Tense chase rover

At a juncture when the match appeared finely balanced, with Bangladesh positioned at 73/3 after 11 overs, it was Hridoy who emerged to disrupt the deadlock. He swiftly dismantled the opposition's momentum by launching three consecutive sixes off the deliveries bowled by the Sri Lankan skipper. Despite Hasaranga eventually dismissing Hridoy, the damage inflicted was substantial, granting Bangladesh a marginally greater degree of freedom in their pursuit.

Who Said What?

Losing skipper, Wanindu Hasaranga:

"We started really well in the first 10 overs but in the middle overs, we batted badly. Bowling is our strength. If we had got 150-160, we could have won with our bowling attack. The batters let us down in both games. We still have two games and we will try to do our best. Maheesh and myself are the two main spinners and we have to attack."

Winning skipper, Najmul Hossain Shanto:

"Happy with the way everyone played. The run-chase wasn't easy and we didn't bat well to be honest. The pitch was pretty good. Litton showed his skill today. Hridoy, the way he played that over (12th over), it helped us. Happy for the crowd and I hope they will come again and support us."

Player of the Match, Rishad Hossain:

I tried my best and stuck to my strengths. I was trying to keep it normal for the hat-trick delivery and was keen on executing a good ball."