June 18, 2005 – The greatest ODI upset of all time at the Sophia Gardens

One would have had a laugh at the fact of Bangladesh taking part of the 2005 NatWest Triangular Series that included the hosts England and the World Champions Australia. The Asian were making baby steps towards causing tremors to top sides as they defeated a near 2nd string Indian team and won an ODI series against Zimbabwe before coming into this tournament. Their campaign began with a humiliation in the opening game against England which they lost by 10 wickets.

In the second match of the tournament, Bangladesh took on Australia at the Sophia Garden in Cardiff. The Aussies lost only one of the last 13 completed ODI matches and have scored 300+ totals three times in their last five matches. Another huge total from the Ricky Ponting led side looked in sight as they won the toss and elected to bat first. The Aussies lost services of Andrew Symonds from the game as the all-rounder was banned for two games for late night drinking.

Bangladesh’s wait to bag a wicket in the tournament came to an end in the very first over of the game as Mashrafe Mortaza trapped Adam Gilchrist for a 2-ball duck. Both Mortaza and Tapash Baisya utilized the swing on offer early on to trouble the Aussies. Bangladesh sensed something special coming on their way in the 6th over when Ricky Ponting was trapped in front for a 16-ball one run off Baisya. The pacers didn’t give away anything as the batting side crawled at a rate below 3.5.

Hayden sent back to the pavilion

The first change pacer Nazmul Hossain claimed the big wicket of Matthew Hayden as the set opener chopped on to his stumps after scoring 37 off 50 balls. Damien Martyn (77) got good support from Michael Clarke (54) as the pair added 108 for the 4th wicket. The Bangladesh bowlers were economical during this partnership as the pair scored runs at 4 an over. Both the batsmen fell in quick succession leaving Australia at 183/5 in 44th over.

The left-handers Mike Hussey (31*) and Simon Katich (36*) gave the perfect finish for Australia adding 66 runs in just 39 balls as they finished with a respectable total of 249/5 in the 50 overs. Chasing 250, Bangladesh ensured they didn’t lose wickets in a heap against the Australian pace attack. Their top three ensured that Bangladesh were 72/3 by 21st over but required rate was already touching 6. But the man of a mission Mohammad Ashraful kept his side in the hunt along with his skipper Habibul Bashar.

The pair kept the scoreboard ticking despite not scoring many boundaries. With a lofted shot over extra-cover off Glenn McGrath, Ashraful brought up his fifty off 58 balls in the 35th over. Bangladesh accumulated 76 runs without losing a wicket between 31st and 40th over as they needed 73 more runs for a historic win. Just when things were going in Bangladesh’s way, Bashar got runout bringing an end to the 130-run 4th wicket stand that came off just 23 overs.

Ashraful makes his century count

Bangladesh needed 32 runs in the final four overs with Ashraful batting on 92. The youngster began the 47th over bowled by McGrath with a boundary towards the fine-leg region and completed his century with a single off the last ball of the over. It was only the 2nd century for Bangladesh in ODI format after Mehrab Hossain’s 101 in 1999. Ashraful’s stay at the crease didn’t last long as he failed to clear the long-on fence on the first ball of the 48th over bowled by Jason Gillespie.

Mohammad Rafique hit the 3rd ball of the over to the cover-region fence while Aftab Ahmed edged one past the keeper to bring down the equation 13 off the last two overs. Rafique found the boundary with a cut short on the 2nd ball off the penultimate over as Bangladesh needed seven from the last over. Aftab ensured a famous victory for his side with a big six over midwicket on the first ball of the final over. It was interestingly the first six off Bangladesh’s innings and only the 2nd in the game. An inside edge towards the fine-leg region on the next ball added five points for Bangladesh on the points table.

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