Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Shahriar Nafees Guides ICL Bangladesh To Win

A vital, brilliant innings of 70 not out from opening batsman Shahriar Nafees threw the ICL World Series wide open as ICL Bangladesh beat ICL India by five wickets in Ahmedaabad.ICL India got off to a flying start, were pegged back and then accelerated again to post 164 for nine before Shahriar thumped a four and a six off the first two balls of the final over before running a single to seal victory with three balls to spare.After Ibrahim Khaleel (27) and Ambati Rayadu (22) had overcome the early loss of Ganapahi Vignesh for nine, the Bangladesh bowlers struck back with Mosharraf Hossain claiming three for 41. The pace man removed Rayadu (22), Hemang Badani (12) and Stuart Binny (27) before India hit back themselves.Captain Rajagopal Sathish smashed 44 from 20 balls to haul India, who beat Pakistan yesterday after conceding a similar score, back into contention.Sathish hammered four sixes along with two fours, being particularly brutal on Farhad Reza, whose four overs disappeared for 34 runs.Tapash Baisya returned two for 33 while Mohammad Rafique picked up one for 30 and a dropped catch on the boundary that allowed Binny a life.Nazimuddin (2) fell early for Bangladesh before a partnership of 52 in 28 balls between Aftab Ahmed (26) and Shahriar got the underdogs back on track. Ahmed twice flicked Rakesh Patel over fine leg before he was bowled by spinner Inder Shekar Reddy in the eighth over.One solid partnership followed another as Alok Kapali hit 44 in 23 balls with two fours and four sixes as he added 58 for the third wicket to push India back.The reigning champions fought hard, however, Reddy having Kapali brilliantly caught by Jesuraj and Ali Murtaza bowling Mohammad Rafique for 16. With 17 needed in two overs, Shahriar was dropped by Rayadu and although the same fielder caught the next ball, lofted his way by Golam Mabud (2), Shahriar had escaped.He needed 11 from the final over and he hammered Murtaza through midwicket for four with Reddy beaten on the boundary, thumped the next ball over the sightscreen and then took advantage of another misfield to scamper through for the winning run.
ICL Bangladesh XI 165-5 (Shahriar Nafees 70no, Jesuraj 2-25) beat
ICL India XI 164-9 (Sathish 44, Mosharraf Hossain 3-48) by five wickets

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