T20 World Cup: Wheal takes three as Scotland stun Bangladesh

Muscat, OCT 18: Scotland pacer Brad Wheal grabbed three wickets as Scotland stunned Bangladesh in the Twenty20 World Cup match at the Al Amerat Stadium in Muscat, Oman on Sunday.

Wheal finished with figures of 3-24 in four overs, taking the crucial wicket of Bangladesh opener Liton Das, captain Mahmudullah and wicket-keeper Nurul Hasan as they fell apart in their pursuit of 141 runs, losing out by six wickets eventually.

Bangladesh were shaken early in their innings when openers Das and Soumya Sarkar departed after adding five runs each, with the team reeling at 1`8-2 in the third over.

Veteran all-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan and wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim responded with some damage control before the former lost his wicket in the 11th over after scoring a slow 20 off 28 balls.

Mushfiq (38 off 36), too, was dismissed by Chris Greaves two overs after Shakib’s departure. Skipper Mahmudullah (23 off 22) and Afif Hossain (18 off 12) tried to lift the chase again, but they too couldn’t stay for long.

Mahedi Hasan’s 13 off five balls also couldn’t prove enough for Bangladesh to go over the finishing line, giving Scotland only their second win at a T20 World Cup.

Earlier, Mahedi and Shakib claimed five wickets between them but Chris Greaves helped Scotland post 140-9.

The spin duo justified their captain’s decision of bowling first by taking regular wickets but Greaves gave Scotland crucial runs with his late cameo of 45 in Muscat.

Scotland tried to rebuild after losing skipper Kyle Coetzer for nought but Mahedi soon struck twice in an over to send back Matthew Cross, for 11, and opener George Munsey, for 29.

Shakib joined forces with another double strike and his wicket of Michael Leask for nought got him past Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga as the leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals.

Shakib, who is the only player to achieve a T20 double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets, returned figures of 2-17 while Mahedi was the wrecker-in-chief with 3-19.

Greaves, batting at number seven, hit back with four fours and two sixes in his 28-ball knock as Scotland plundered 53 runs from the last 30 deliveries.

----------------------------------------

COURTESY SAMAA

----------