Mosaddek’s Career-Best T20I Knock Takes Bangladesh to a Modest Total

Mosaddek Hossain’s career-best T20I knock took Bangladesh to a modest total of 127-7 in 20 overs in their tournament opener in the Asia Cup against Afghanistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Mosaddek made an unbeaten 48 off 31 balls after Mujeeb ur Rahman and Rashid Khan claimed three wickets each to put Bangladesh in all sorts of trouble.

Bangladesh top-order had no answers to Mujeeb ur Rahman, who took three wickets inside the powerplay to reduce Bangladesh to 28-3 after six overs.

The returning Mohammad Naim was outdone by Mujeeb, departing for six off eight balls.

Anamul Haque, who is often seen tonking sixes at practice in videos shared on social media, was trapped LBW by the same bowler for a dogged five off 14 balls.

The umpire had initially ruled in Anamul’s favour, but Afghanistan promptly took the review and the decision had to be reversed.

Skipper Shakib Al Hasan, playing his 100th T20I, struck two boundaries but missed a straight ball from Mujeeb to depart for 11 off nine balls.

Afghanistan’s talisman Rashid Khan then joined the party, dismissing Mushfiqur Rahim for one in his second ball of the match and trapped Afif Hossain LBW for 12 off 15 balls.

Bangladesh was reeling on 53-5 after 10.3 overs when Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain started a resistance.

The duo rotated the strike more often and took some calculative risks, to slowly revive Bangladesh’s scoring rate, which was below six from the first over.

Mosaddek, who was caught at the boundary once but survived as the fielder’s foot was touching the ropes when the ball was at his hands, was the aggressor of the duo while Mahmudullah was playing a run-a-ball innings.

But the experienced Mahmudullah, inexplicably, tried to hit Rashid for a six in his penultimate ball of the innings, only to get caught for 25 off 27 balls, which also ended the sixth wicket stand on 36 off 31 balls.

Mahedi then joined Mosaddek, who continued batting sensibly, picking his spots to score boundaries and keeping the scoreboard ticking with twos and singles.

Mahedi Hasan chipped in with 14 off 12 before sacrificinghis wicket in a run out in the penultimate ball of the innings to give Mosaddek a chance to complete his maiden T20I 50.

But Mosaddek left the ball alone, thinking it was a wide, but the umpire called it a legal delivery.

Earlier, Shakib won the toss and chose to bat first._Agencies