Bangladesh had their first game and first win moment as the Shakib Al-Hasan-led side beat Afghanistan by a margin of 6 wickets in their first match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The surreal performance by Bangladesh’s all-rounder Mehidy Hasan was simply pure class. Mehidy Hasan bowled economically, delivering a spell of 10 overs, and played a match-winning innings while holding the bat in his hand.
Afghanistan didn’t get the start they wanted in the beginning of their World Cup campaign, as Hashmatullah Shahidi lost the toss to Shakib, who chose to bowl first at the beautiful stadium of Dharamsala, surrounded by the Dhauladhar Hills.
On a chilly morning in Himachal, Afghan batters displayed a disheartening performance as the team was bundled out for a mere score of 156 in just 37.2 overs. During the chase, a clinical batting display by Mehidy Hasan led his team to a commanding victory as they successfully chased down the target in 34.4 overs. Moreover, this loss for Afghanistan ensured their 13th consecutive defeat in the ODI World Cups.
Mehidy Hasan and Shakib’s Inexpensive Spin Bowling Causes Trouble for Afghans
Mehidy Hasan and Shakib’s inexpensive spin bowling troubled Afghanistan. They got off to a desirable start, with both openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (47 off 62) and Ibrahim Zadran (22 off 35), forming a short 47-run partnership. However, the partnership between the two couldn’t reach the 50-run mark as Shakib Al Hasan introduced himself into the bowling attack and got the wicket of Zadran in his second over. Shakib struck again, trapping Rahmat Shah (18 off 25) in his web.
Mehidy Hasan made his first breakthrough by dismissing Afghan Captain Shahidi (18 off 38), and Mustafizur Rahman claimed the valuable wicket of set batsman Gurbaz. From then onwards, it was a one-sided affair as Shakib took his third wicket in the form of Najibullah Zadran, and Azmatullah Omarzai was cleaned up by Shoriful Islam. In back-to-back overs, Mehidy Hasan took the wickets of Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Shakib ended with figures of 8-0-30-3, while Mehidy Hasan returned bowling figures of 9-3-25-3.
Snug Chase and Warm Victory Achieved by Shakib and Company
Bangladesh wasn’t up to par while chasing, as they were hanging at 27-2. Then came Mehidy Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 97-run third-wicket partnership, which put Bangladesh in a very healthy position. Mehidy Hasan scored 57 off 73, while Shanto made an unbeaten 59 off 83. However, Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah dismissed Mehidy Hasan and Shakib, respectively. But Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim guaranteed a trouble-free win. Mehidy Hasan became the second player after Shakib to register a double of 50 runs and 3 wickets in a World Cup match.
Great Moment For me to Bat at the Top of the Order – Mehidy Hasan
Mehidy Hasan, after winning the Player of the Match, expressed his gratitude for the achievement, attributing it to his dedication and team management’s belief in him. He emphasized the valuable advice from his captain to maintain consistency and focus on his performance. He also acknowledged the unique opportunity to open the innings, highlighting that he usually batted at no.8.
“It’s a great moment for me, I’ve done a lot of hard work in the past. Credit to the team management because they believed in me. I was a bit cautious, the captain told me to bowl in the right areas. He told me to be consistent and to focus on my own performance so credit to the captain,” said Mehidy Hasan.
“I took it ball by ball, didn’t look at the runs. Wicket was turning a bit, I just tried to play straight. I’ve always batted at no.8 so a great moment for me to bat at the top of the order. They tried me at the top of the order in the last few matches and it’s a great moment for me,” he added.
ALSO READ: ENG vs NZ: “Great To Have A Great Day” – Rachin Ravindra After Match-Winning Knock Of 123 Runs