'We were 20 runs short'

While one can't be completely disappointed with the way the Tigers played at the Blacktown Olympic Park yesterday, the three-wicket defeat though is bound to leave the players reeling.

Tamim Iqbal (81) and Mahmudullah Riyad (83) posted 168 for the third wicket, Bangladesh's second highest stand for that position, and helped the Tigers recover. With 190-odd runs and eight wickets in hand in the last eleven overs, the middle order had the perfect foundation.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

However, Bangladesh's most dependable batsmen failed to lead the charge. While Mushfiqur Rahim was out for a duck, Shakib Al Hasan left after scoring 31. A score of 246 at the medium-sized ground was never going to be enough.

Tamim, who played his first competitive match after returning from injury, reckoned that the Tigers were 20 runs short.

"I think it was a tight game. For a moment it seemed as though we could win this one. We may have lost, but if we continue playing such tight matches the result will not always be against us. It was a positive outcome.

"It made us realise that if we do our jobs properly, we can win matches abroad," Tamim told reporters after the match yesterday.

The collapse towards the end, which saw Bangladesh lose eight wickets for just 62 runs, brought Pakistan back into the game. "We were 20 runs short on that ground for sure," said Tamim.

Bangladesh's bowling witnessed a similar following. While the pacers took early wickets and gave the Tigers a good start, Pakistan's batsmen capitalised towards the end. When Taskin Ahmed bowled Misbahul Haq for 10, Pakistan were at a precarious 199 for 6 in 42.2 overs. However, any chance of a comeback was destroyed by Shahid Afridi (24) and a few late hits from Sohaib Maqsood (93).

The left-hander admitted that the death bowling could have been better from the Tigers. "We bowled quite a few boundary deliveries towards the end and that hurt us," he rued.

On a personal note, the batsman, despite being disappointed on missing out on a century, was happy with his comeback.

"Scoring a hundred gives you a different feeling all together but I am quite happy that I managed to get a good start. The kind of confidence that I received after this innings, I think is good enough to help me in the World Cup," reckoned the opener.

The way Bangladesh played yesterday's game provided an insight with regards to the team's strategies. For one, they are yet to find a number seven. It seems to be a battle between Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman. If both players are taken, then the Tigers may have to go in without either of their specialist spinners, Arafat Sunny and Taijul Islam.

SCORES IN BRIEF
BANGLADESH: 246 all out in 49.5 overs (Mahmudullah 83, Tamim 81; Irfan 5-52, Shah 2-42)

PAKISTAN: 247 for 7 in 48.1 overs (Maqsood 93, Akmal 39; Taskin 2-41, Mashrafe 2-50)

Result: Pakistan won by three wickets.