Bangladesh have become the first team of the ongoing World Cup 2023 to crash out of the semifinal race as they suffered a humiliating seven-wicket loss at the hands of Pakistan while playing at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday, October 31.
Despite winning the toss, Bangladesh failed to post a defendable total on the board and got bundled out for just 204 in 45.1 overs. They got off to a nightmarish start as opener Tanzid Hasan fell in the first over of the game for a duck. The Bangla Tigers lost two more poles in the next five overs and were reduced to 23 for the loss of three wickets as Najmul Hossain Shanto and wicketkeeper-batter Mushfiqur Rahim fell cheaply.
Litton Das and Mahmudullah aggregated 79 runs for the fourth wicket to bail the team out of crisis and scripted a remarkable comeback. However, just when it felt like the duo was about to take the game away from the Babar Azam-led side, Litton perished after scoring 45 runs off 64 balls.
Litton's wicket came against the run of play and broke the entire momentum of the Bangladesh side. Mahmudullah was the next to depart after scoring 56 off 70 balls including six fours and a six. Skipper Shakib Al Hasan (43 off 64 balls) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (25 off 30 balls) made useful contributions to help the team get over the 200-run mark.
In reply, Pakistan openers Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique launched an onslaught against the Bangladesh attack and stitched 128 runs for the opening wicket to stamp their authority on the run chase and pushed Bangladesh out of the game. Both openers scored half-centuries and looked in complete control during their stay in the middle. Abdullah scored 68 off 69 balls and got out while trying to finish the game off in a jiffy.
Player of the Match Fakhar was the more aggressive of the two batters and pounded everything that came in his arc. The southpaw racked up 81 off 74 balls on his return to the playing XI, including three fours and seven sixes and helped the team to register a comfortable victory at the end as the 1992 World Cup winners won with 105 balls to spare.
