Shakib heroics power Tigers seal third World Cup Victory

ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Match 31 Bangladesh vs Afghanistan The Rose Bowl, Southampton Bangladesh : 262/7 in 50 overs (Mushfiqur 83, Shakib 51, Tamim 36, Mosaddek 35*; Mujeeb 3/39, Naib 2/56, Nabi 1/44) Afghanistan : 200/10 in 47 overs (Shinwari 49*, Naib 47, Zadran 23; Shakib 5/29, Mustafizur 2/32, Mosaddek 1/25) Result : Bangladesh won by 62 runs. Player of the Match : Shakib Al Hasan.  Tigers have kept their semi-final hope alive thanks to Shakib Al Hasan’s all-round brilliance which helped Bangladesh to beat Afghanistan by 62 runs in their seventh match in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. Following the win, Bangladesh moved up to the fifth spot on the points table points. Mashrafe Bi Mortaza’s team will take on India in the next match on July 2. Earlier Afghanistan opted to bowl first after winning the toss at Southampton. Bangladesh made two changes in the playing eleven by replacing Mosaddek Hossain and Mohammad Saifuddin with Sabbir Rahman and Rubel Hossain, New opening pair Tamim Iqbal and Liton Kumar Das started the innings steadily before Mujeeb Ur Rahman struck to dismiss Liton early for 16. Tamim again got the start but failed to convert in into a big innings as Mohammad Nabi bowled him out on 36. Then the highest run scorer of the tournament, Shakib Al Hasan along with Mushfiqur Rahim put together a 60-run stand. Shakib got out on 51 while Mushfiqur batted till the 49th over scoring a gutsy 83 runs off 87 balls. In between, Mosaddek gave the perfect finishing touch to the Bangladesh innings with a 24-ball 35-run to power the Tigers posting a formidable total of 262 for 7 in 50 overs. Mujeeb was the most successful bowler picking up 3 wickets for 39. Afghanistan started off their innings on a good note as two opener added 49 runs before Shakib gave the first breakthrough by dismissing Rahmat Shah for 24. There was some resistance from Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin Naib but he too got out by Shakib on 47. Shakib also got rid of Asghar Afgan and Mohammad Nab early. Since then, Afghanistan were never looked confident in the chase as they kept losing wickets in regular intervals. Samiullah Shinwari's unbeaten 49 only reduced the defeta margin as Afghanistan were eventually all out for 200 in 47 overs. Shakib scalped 5 wickets for 29 which is the first 5-wicket haul among the Bangladesh bowlers in World Cup. For his all-round heroics, Shakib named the player of the match.