Doriga shines in loss

Bangladesh advance as PNG suffer 84-run defeat

FACED with a record chase of 182, Kipling Doriga’s 46 was not enough as Papua New Guinea’s challenge crumbled early with four quick wickets inside the powerplay to see Bangladesh claim an 84-run win in the Twenty-20 World Cup in Oman yesterday.
Shakib Al Hasan, who made an important 46 in the Bangladesh innings, took two wickets in his first over, the fifth of the innings, to reduce the opposition to 14/4.Bangladesh’s 181/7 was thanks to a 27-ball half-century by Mahamud Ullah and boosted by a strong showing at the death.
PNG’s new opening pair of Lega Siaka and Assad Vala lasted just 15 balls. Siaka was trapped in front by a full and straight Mohammad Saifuddin delivery.
Wicket-keeper Nurul Hasan took a fantastic one-handed leg-side catch, sending back Vala off the bowling of Taskin.
Mohammad Naim ran to his right and timed his leap to perfection, even as he avoided contact with the boundary ropes to send Charles Amini back and give Shakib his first wicket.
Three balls later, Simon Atai gave Mahedi Hasan an easy catch at square leg.
Shakib had his third before the halfway point of the innings, with PNG losing half their line-up inside nine overs.
Earlier, Bangladesh’s opening woes continued into the third match of the tournament, but Shakib and Liton Das ensured a recovery and the team’s best powerplay of this World Cup. Kabua Morea might have had a wicket on the first ball of the match, had the nick carried to the wicket-keeper cleanly. The left-arm pacer ensured he struck the very next ball, though, having Mohammad Naim caught in the deep by a tumbling Sese Bau after trying to flick one angled in at leg stump.
The second-wicket pair of Das and Shakib took about an over to get settled before both went over the ropes in a signal of intent. Das got on one knee to slog sweep over the fine leg boundary, before Shakib sent one over long-on.
The duo ran well in the heat to post 45/1 in the powerplay. However, those two sixes were among only three boundaries with the fielding restrictions in place.
After all pace in the powerplay, the introduction of spin got the next three wickets for PNG in the middle overs, even as their fielders did their bit in preventing partnerships from building.
Vala broke the second-wicket stand with his first delivery. Das’ slog sweep was caught in the deep by Bau, but Bangladesh were never really troubled. – ICC