Day: October 19, 2021

Dubai, October 19, 2021 (PPI-OT):Bangladesh stayed alive at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 thanks to victory over Oman but their performances in the powerplays must get better according to skipper Mahmudullah.

Following an opening defeat to Scotland, Bangladesh took on the hosts knowing that defeat would spell the end of the campaign even before a final game against Papua New Guinea.

There were nervy moments against Oman, with two early wickets in the first innings forcing Bangladesh into a cautious approach, sitting at 29 for two after the first six overs.

By contrast, Oman raced out of the blocks, Jatinder Singh and Kashyap Prajapati both showing plenty of intent to reach 47 for two.

With both bat and ball, it meant that Bangladesh had to fight back, and while there is plenty to be said for that resilience, Mahmudullah knows his team have more to give.

He said: “We’ll take this win, but I think there are a lot of areas we need to improve. I hope everyone is happy. Thanks to the crowd that came in, they expect us to win. Delivering a win for them, for the country is the most important thing.

“Shakib and Naim batted brilliantly, they had a good partnerships and that took us to 150-plus. But we should have done better with the new ball, bowled a lot of wides.

“We need to see those areas and correct them. I think our death bowling was going well. In the middle part we brought the game back. But the first six overs – batting and bowling – we need to improve.”

For Oman, this defeat means that it will all come down to the final game against Scotland. One opportunity to seal one of the top two spots in Group 2 and a place in the Super 12 has gone, but another remains.

The big win over Papua New Guinea first up means that a win over Scotland would likely be enough, regardless of what Bangladesh do against PNG. If things fall the right way, Oman could yet top the group and secure the B1 spot in Group 2 of the Super 12.

At this stage though, skipper Zeeshan Maqsood simply wants to please the home crowd who turned out in their numbers.

He said: “There is no pressure, it’s a boost (having fans). Sorry to the people, we couldn’t make them happy, but it’s cricket, it’s a sport so we’ll come back and fight back and make them happy. We have to see where we went wrong, come back and crack that. It’s just another game.

“It was quite a chasable target, the way our opening stand went and we batted in the middle. But the last five-six overs didn’t go so well, we lost a lot of wickets. Credit goes to the bowlers. We were in the game 15-16 overs, we needed 50-odd runs in 36 balls, it’s not a big margin.”

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

Dubai, October 19, 2021 (PPI-OT):Richie Berrington crunched a fabulous 70 and Josh Davey took four wickets as Scotland moved to the brink of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super 12 with a 17-run win against Papua New Guinea.

Berrington arrived at the crease with Scotland on 26 for two and struck nine boundaries in a 49-ball knock that set them on the path to an impressive 165 for nine.

PNG fell to 35 for five in reply and, though Norman Vanua hit 47 to help stage a recovery, Davey saw Scotland over the line with some smart bowling late to take career-best T20I figures and the best by a Scottish bowler at the T20 World Cup.

It was another impressive performance from Scotland, who beat Bangladesh in their Group B opener and are now on the verge of reaching the Super 12 for the first time.

Scotland won the toss and chose to bat, and they made a promising start with George Munsey and captain Kyle Coezter hitting a boundary each in the opening over.

Munsey was particularly proactive and hit two more boundaries in the second over to take Scotland to 22 for no loss from 12 balls, but PNG hit back when Kabua Morea clean bowled Coezter with an in-swinger that went through bat and pad and hit middle stump.

Munsey’s cameo of 15 from ten balls ended in the fourth over when he skied spinner Chad Soper into the hands of Lega Siaka.

Taking pace off the ball worked for PNG, with Scotland only able to score nine runs from the next two overs.

But Berrington’s mammoth 97-metre six in the seventh over and a pulled four at the beginning of the eighth was a timely reminder of Scotland’s ability to score, as they reached 67 for two at the halfway stage of the innings.

Both Berrington and Matthew Cross were settled and sensed the right time to hit the accelerator, with the former adding a thumping four over extra cover, another huge six over long-off and a four through fine leg.

Cross, who started steadily, weighed in with two fours and two sixes of his own but he eventually fell for a 36-ball 45 when Simon Atai had him caught in the deep.

Berrington reached his half-century with a lofted four down the ground and followed up with two more sixes, as Scotland put their foot down in search of a big total.

PNG hit back late on, as Soper removed Callum MacLeod for ten and then Berrington two balls later for 70, with the 34-year-old finding a fielder in the deep.

There were four further wickets in the final over, as Morea dismissed Chris Greaves, Michael Leask was run out and Davey and Mark Watt also fell to the bowler, as Scotland finished on 165/9.

PNG made a slow start in reply, with Tony Ura out in the second over after chopping a Davey delivery onto his stumps.

Assad Vala made a fluent 18, including four fours, but PNG lost wickets early as Siaka edged Brad Wheal behind and Vala skied a leading edge off Alasdair Evans.

PNG were scoring at healthy rate but could not stem the tide of wickets, with Charles Amini run out in the sixth over after trying to come back for two following a clip to deep backward square.

Berrington then backed up his brilliant batting performance with a reflex catch at backward point to send Atai back to the pavilion for just two, leaving PNG on 35/5 after six overs.

Sese Bau and Vanua steadied the ship but Bau was caught by Wheal in the deep for 24 in the 12th over.

Vanua took up the charge and belted two sixes and two fours to carry PNG past 100 but when Cross stumped Kiplin Doriga for 18, their charge faltered.

Vanua eventually fell to Davey for a spirited 47, Nosaina Pokana was run out for one and, although Morea hit a massive six to set up an interesting final over, Soper was caught behind as Scotland confirmed a 17-run win.

Scores in Brief

Scotland beat Papua New Guinea at Al Amerat Cricket Ground by 17 runs

Scotland 165/9 in 20 overs (Richie Berrington 70; Matthew Cross 45; Kabua Morea 4/31; Chad Soper 3/24)

Papua New Guinea 148 all out in 19.3 overs (Norman Vanua 47; Sese Bau 24; Josh Davey 4/18; Alasdair Evans 1/22)

Player of the Match: Richie Berrington (Scotland)

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com