ICC World Twenty20: Bangladesh thump Nepal to inch closer to main draw
Bangladesh, who fielded after winning the toss, kept Nepal down to 126-5 in their 20 overs before reaching the modest target in 15.3 overs thanks to quickfire knocks from Anamul Haque and Shakib Al Hasan.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: March 18, 2014 10:44 PM IST
Bangladesh put in a clinical performance to defeat new-comers Nepal by eight wickets to boost their chances of making the main draw of the ICC World Twenty20 in Chittagong on Tuesday. (Match Scorecard)
The hosts, who fielded after winning the toss, kept Nepal down to 126-5 in their 20 overs before reaching the modest target in 15.3 overs.
Opener Anamul Haque scored a 33-ball 42 with five boundaries and two sixes and shared an opening stand of 63 with Tamim Iqbal (30). Shakib Al Hasan hit four sixes in his 37 not out and Sabbir Rahman made 21 not out complete the chase.
Nepal's modest score was built around a polished 35-ball 41 by skipper Paras Khadka and a 43-ball 40 by Sharad Vesawkar who shared a 85-run stand for the fourth wicket. But the experienced pair failed to speed up things in the final overs against some tight Bangladeshi bowling.
Paceman Al-Amin Hossain was the pick of the home bowlers with 2-17 in four overs.
The second straight win puts Bangladesh in a strong position to qualify for the Super-10 stage from Group A.
They now play Hong Kong in their last match while Nepal meet Afghanistan. Afghanistan and Nepal have one win in two games while Hong Kong crashed out of the event with two defeats in as many games.
Afghanistan beat Hong Kong by seven wickets earlier on Tuesday.
Ireland and the Netherlands won their first matches in Group B on Monday.
Two teams from each group will qualify for the Super-10 stage, starting from March 21.
The final will be played on April 6 in Dhaka.
Brief Scores:
Nepal 126-5 in 20 overs (P. Khadka 41, S. Vesawkar 40; Al-Amin Hossain 2-17)
Bangladesh 132-2 in 15.3 overs (Anamul Haque 42, Shakib Al Hasan 37 not out)
Bangladesh won by eight wickets.