Bangladesh ease past Malaysia to reach cricket semis
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
GUANGZHOU, Nov 23 (AFP): Bangladesh's international-studded team cruised to victory over Malaysia by 70 runs Tuesday and joined Pakistan in the semi-finals of the Asian Games cricket tournament.
Test-playing Bangladesh scored a competitive 150-7 in 20 overs and Malaysia never looked like reaching their target against some disciplined bowling and tight fielding, struggling to 80 all out in the last over.
Bangladesh, including a clutch of players who have played Tests and one-day internationals, made a brisk start to their innings but slumped from 80-2 to 82-5 before staging a recovery.
Opener Mithun Ali top-scored with 39 off 35 balls, including four fours and a six, and skipper Mohammad Ashraful, who has played 55 Test matches and 163 one day internationals, chipped in with 29.
Shahrulnizam Yusof was the star bowler for Malaysia with 4-21 off his four overs.
Shafiq Sharif top-scored for Malaysia with 21 off 25 balls.
Ashraful said he was confident the team could mount a strong challenge for the gold medal, which would be the first ever gold for Bangladesh at the Asian Games in any sport.
"Our opening batsmen batted well but then we didn't bat well in the middle order," he said, adding that they had failed to come to terms with a slow and turning wicket.
Their next opponents are likely to be Sri Lanka Thursday but first Sri Lanka have to come through their quarter-final match against opponents who have yet to be determined.
"Sri Lanka are a very good side but if we play our best cricket I think anything can happen because we are a very young side," the captain said.
"We came here to take gold. If we can take gold it will be a big boost for Bangladesh."
Hong Kong are playing the Maldives Tuesday afternoon in the final game in a three-way group also involving Nepal to determine which teams will fill the final two quarter-final berths against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Pakistan reached the semi-finals by beating host nation China Monday.
Test-playing Bangladesh scored a competitive 150-7 in 20 overs and Malaysia never looked like reaching their target against some disciplined bowling and tight fielding, struggling to 80 all out in the last over.
Bangladesh, including a clutch of players who have played Tests and one-day internationals, made a brisk start to their innings but slumped from 80-2 to 82-5 before staging a recovery.
Opener Mithun Ali top-scored with 39 off 35 balls, including four fours and a six, and skipper Mohammad Ashraful, who has played 55 Test matches and 163 one day internationals, chipped in with 29.
Shahrulnizam Yusof was the star bowler for Malaysia with 4-21 off his four overs.
Shafiq Sharif top-scored for Malaysia with 21 off 25 balls.
Ashraful said he was confident the team could mount a strong challenge for the gold medal, which would be the first ever gold for Bangladesh at the Asian Games in any sport.
"Our opening batsmen batted well but then we didn't bat well in the middle order," he said, adding that they had failed to come to terms with a slow and turning wicket.
Their next opponents are likely to be Sri Lanka Thursday but first Sri Lanka have to come through their quarter-final match against opponents who have yet to be determined.
"Sri Lanka are a very good side but if we play our best cricket I think anything can happen because we are a very young side," the captain said.
"We came here to take gold. If we can take gold it will be a big boost for Bangladesh."
Hong Kong are playing the Maldives Tuesday afternoon in the final game in a three-way group also involving Nepal to determine which teams will fill the final two quarter-final berths against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.
Pakistan reached the semi-finals by beating host nation China Monday.