Bangladesh secured the win against underdog Malaysia in cricket item of Asian Games to move into semifinals.
In the high-contested match held at Pingpheng Campus Cricket Ground of Hangjhu, they defeated the Malaysians by a slight margin of 2 wickets.
Bangladesh got a bad start as the openers Parvez Hossian Imon and Mahmudul Hasan Joy returned to dressing room without scoring a run. Zakir followed them scoring just 1 run.
Later, Saif Hasan and Afif Hossain got a good runs for Bangladesh. Saif was unbeaten on 50 runs. Besides, Afif scored 23 runs off 14 balls and Shahadat Hossain scored 21 runs off 26 balls.
In the end, Bangladesh scored 116 runs losing five wickets in the scheduled 20 overs.
In reply, the Malaysian batsmen lost their wicket to the Bangladeshi bowlers. Malaysia needed only 10 runs in the last two overs. They need only 5 runs in the last over. Virendip Singh, the batsman who scored fifty, was still on strike. Experienced Afif came to bowl in the last over.
Virendip could not score any runs in the first three balls. He got out while playing a shot through deep mid-wicket off the fourth ball. Bangladesh survived as the Malaysian batters scored only one run in the last two balls.
Afif picked up 3 wickets for just 11 runs in 4 overs with the ball. Apart from this, 3 wickets have gone in the possession of Ripon Mondal. Rakibul Hasan and Rishad Hossain took one wicket each.
Bd-pratidin English/Lutful Hoque
