Roar, relief

Bangladesh's ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan lets off a bit of steam after dismissing an Afghanistan batsman during the opening fixture of the World Twenty20 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. Shakib played a key role with both bat and ball in the Tigers' comprehensive nine-wicket victory. Photo: FIROZ AHMED

The colours of festivity will remain red and green after the Tigers inflicted a nine-wicket defeat on Afghanistan in

the much-talked about opening match of the ICC World Twenty20, which ultimately turned into a one-sided affair in front of an electrifying partisan crowd at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
The Tigers toyed with the Afghans to avenge their agonising Asia Cup defeat on way to set the mood of the tournament that started with the words went on as Mashrafe Bin Mortaza provided the breakthrough in the very first ball after skipper Mushfiqur Rahim decided to bowl first on a surface that suited the slow bowlers most.
The Afghans then had no answer against champion Bangladesh left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan, who did the major damage by taking two wickets in consecutive deliveries of the sixth over. The Afghans could not recover and were bundled out for 72 runs, which the Tigers overtook with eight overs and nine wickets remaining thanks to Anamul Haque, who hit an unbeaten 33-ball 44 that included three massive sixes.

It was a match that took the centre stage of attraction among the cricket-crazy fans ever since the dangerous Afghanistan qualified for the mega event and were placed in the hosts' group. Their threat was made more serious when the war-torn country played with the nerves of millions of Bangladeshi fans during their 32-run victory in the Asia Cup at Fatullah.
Bangladesh's pride as a Test playing nation however has been restored through a clinical display yesterday. The matured approach from Mushfiqur Rahim's men highlighted the gulf between a full member and  associate member. Except a dropped catch, Bangladesh were outstanding in all departments and their bowling was brilliantly supported by the athletic fielding effort that initiated two important runs-outs.
The much-hyped game lacked excitement on the field because of the Afghans' inability to handle the quality spin attack that the Bangladeshi spinners demonstrated on the favorable condition. And captain Mushfiqur also pointed out the misreading of pitch by the Afghan batsmen. “They misread the wicket, probably it was a 120 to130 wicket and since we picked a few early wickets it helped us. It was spinning a bit and we kept things tight and kept getting wickets,” observed Bangladesh skipper during post-match presentation.
The match fate was all but over when Afghanistan were reduced to 50 for 5 in the first ten overs. Mashrafe -- who bowled his heart out to concede just eight in two overs -- set the tone by dismissing Mohammad Shehzad, who played a senseless shot in the very first ball and the impressive Mahmudullah Riyad took a well-judged catch running from mid-off. There was a little jolt when Al-Amin Hossain conceded 15 runs in the fifth over but man-of-the-match Shakib restored control by taking two wickets in the next over as Sabbir Rahman took a tough catch after dropping one in the previous ball to send back hard-hitting Gulbadin Naib. Then debutant Najeeb Tarakai offered a dolly catch off the next ball to Nasir Hossain. Sabbir kept at the action -- his direct through from short fine leg shattered the stumps at the non-strikers' end to dismiss Nawroz Mangal before veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak trapped danger man and Afghan skipper Mohammad Nabi in front.
Refreshingly, the two Bangladesh openers Tamim Iqbal and Anamul showed no frenzy in chase of a small total; rather they rotated the strike initially to finish the job in style and when Tamim was declared leg before, the team's position was solid after the 45-run opening stand.
In the end it was a day for the Tigers where almost everything was perfect. Now they have to carry on the momentum when they meet Nepal on March 18 and Hong Kong on March 20 at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong.
In the day's second match, also involving Group A teams, Nepal walloped Hong Kong by 80 runs at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. Nepal rode on Gyanendra Malla's 48 and skipper Paras Khadka's 41 to post 149 for eight, before Basant Regmi and Shakti Gauchan picked up three wickets apiece to skittle out Hong Kong for just 69.