Shakib hits fifty as Bangladesh set Netherlands 160 to win

Shakib Al Hasan played a comeback innings of unbeaten 64 as Bangladesh set a target of 160 for Netherlands in a crucial encounter of Group D at at Arnos Vale ground at Kingstown in St Vincent.

Shakib, who has been under pressure due to his recent off-form with bat and ball got his 13th fifty in T20Is, his first since October 2022, and remained unbeaten at 64 off 46 deliveries hitting nine boundaries.

Sent to bat, top order woes continue for Bangladesh and captain Najmul Hossain once again failed to deliver as he succumbed to Aryan Dutt in the second over while trying to revers sweep. Bangladesh lost their first wicket for three. Liton also departed quickly when top edged a Dutt delivery and Engelbrecht took a stunner in the square leg.

Shakib hit four boundaries off Logan Van Beek in the last over of the powerplay, as Bangladesh crossed 50 in the first six overs.

Tanzid got out scoring 35 off 26 balls with five boundaries and a six while trying to hit a cross-seam ball of van Meekeren out of the ground in the ninth over, leaving Bangladesh at 71 for three. The duo made a 48-run partnership in the third wicket.

In-form Towhid Hridoy joined Shakib but could not stay much in the middle. He was bowled by Tim Pringle scoring 15-ball 8.

Mahmudullah then joined Shakib in the fifth wicket and the two most experience batters made a 41-run partnership from 32 balls. Engelbrecht took another sharp catch off van Meekeren delivery at deep as Mahmudullah departed for  25 off 21 balls, hitting two boundaries and equal number of over boundaries including his 200th six in the T20 format.

Jaker Ali played a cameo of 14 in seven balls to give a good company to Shakib in the unbeaten 29-run partnership to take the tigers to 159 for five in 20 overs.

Bangladesh and Netherlands both have won one match each from their first two matches, means the winners of today’s game will be within a touching distance of super eights.