New Delhi: In the midst of the ‘timed out’ dispute, Bangladesh achieved a three-wicket victory against Sri Lanka at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday evening. Guided by exceptional displays from Najmul Shanto (90) and Shakib Al Hasan (82), Bangladesh notched their second World Cup win, solidifying their standing for a place in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Chasing the challenging target of 280 appeared potentially tricky for the Bangladesh batsmen, especially after Madhushanka dismissed opener Tanzid Hasan in the initial over. However, the onset of dew proved advantageous for Bangladesh, making batting considerably easier under the floodlights.
One of the most captivating narratives in the match unfolded as Shakib Al Hasan faced off against Angelo Mathews. Earlier in the day, the Bangladesh captain sought a ‘timed out’ dismissal, resulting in Mathews being declared out by the umpires for failing to face a ball within two minutes of the previous batter’s dismissal.
Amidst the anticipation of Mathews bowling his gentle dibbly dobblers against Shakib, the Sri Lankan veteran nearly found success in the first over. However, Charith Asalanka at short cover dropped a relatively challenging chance, offering Shakib a reprieve.
Subsequently, both Shakib and Shanto capitalized on the opportunity, establishing a remarkable 169-run partnership that nearly took Sri Lanka out of the contest.
In a dramatic turn, Mathews regained momentum, dismissing Shakib, which the on-air commentators dubbed ‘poetic justice.’ Mathews marked the dismissal with a ‘time is up’ send-off, pointing to his watch and waiting for Shakib to depart.
Mathews continued his impact, securing Shanto’s wicket in the next over and intensifying the tension in the Bangladesh camp.
Some subpar shots from Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz brought the game closer than anticipated, but Tanzim Sakib’s resilience and a winning boundary secured two crucial points for Bangladesh.