Looking at the past record of Bangladesh cricket team, cricket fans were feeling that the matches in whom Bangladesh will participate will be boring. But Bangladesh cricket team started the tournament with a style. Although Pakistan defeated Bangladesh in first league match but Bangladesh gave tough time to Pakistan. On one stage it was looking like Bangladesh is going to win the match. It was experience of Umer Gul and class of Saeed Ajmal which prevent Bangladesh from victory in first match of the tournament. The match between Bangladesh and India was a historic one. Batting first, Indian legend Batsmen Sachin Tendulker created history by scoring 100th international century. He took 139 bowls for scoring his historic century. This was little bit slow according to today cricket requirements. Resultantly, India set target of 290 runs for Bangladesh. At one stage India was set for scoring more then 300 runs but extra ordinary consciousness from Sachin Tendulker for his 100th century, Indian batting fell 25 to 40 runs short from a safe target. Chasing total of 290, Bangladesh lost first wicket on 15 but after that Tamim Iqab, Nasir Hossain, Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiq ur Rahim played extra ordinary innings. After a sensational competition Bangladesh defeated India. Cricket experts take it as usual upset from Bangladesh but in upcoming matches Bangladesh sent a strong message to the cricket world that they are no more soft target.
A mega match was played between Pakistan and India. Pakistan batted well and set a target of 330 runs for India. At one stage Pakistan was in position to score more than 350 runs but because of some clever bowling by Indian bowlers, Pakistani fell short of safe target of 360. In last 15 overs Indian bowlers delivered slow full tosses out side the off stump. They used their slow deliveries perfectly and did not allow Pakistani Batsmen to hit the ball for boundaries. In bowling, Pakistan got the wicket of Gotham Gambir very quickly but then master blaster Sachin Tenulker and rising star Virat Kohli played extra ordinary innings. They made ineffective the experience of Umer Gul and Shahid Afridi. In this particular match the captaincy of Pakistani skipper Misbah Ul Haq was very ordinary. Even he forgot to use his one bowler Hamad Azam when other bowlers were failed. India defeated Pakistan in this important Match and keep on their hopes for playing the final match.
In the last league Match of the tournament Between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Bangladesh was required to won it to qualify for the final. Sri Lanka batted first and set target of 212 runs in this rain affected match. Chasing 212 runs in 40 overs, the start of Bangladesh was not confident. Bangladesh middle order collapsed and it was looking like this match will be the end of Bangladesh successful journey, but then again Tammim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan and Nasir Hossain played great innings and first time in the history of Asia cup Bangladesh qualified for the final, leaving India and Sri Lanka out of the competition.
The final match was a thriller. Batting first Pakistan set a target of 236 runs for Bangladesh. Bangladeshi bowlers performed perfectly. At one stage it was looking like they will restrict Pakistan within 200 runs but then Shahid Afrid and Sarfaraz Ahmed played good innings and helped Pakistan to set some sort of respectable target. Chasing 236 runs, Bangladesh started well. Tamim Iqbal played extra Ordinary inning once again. He scored 4 fifties in a row. But then the experience of Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal and Umer Gul made it difficult for Bangladesh to become the Asian Champion for the first in the history. Match was balanced up to the last delivery. At the end Bangladesh fell 2 runs short from the target and Pakistan won the final match.
It was a successful tournament hosted by Bangladesh. Every match was interesting. The way Bangladesh cricket team played and the way Bangladeshi people supported them, is a message for cricket world that Bangladesh is going to be the shining star of cricket world in near future. Good Luck Bangladesh, you deserve it…..
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