Bangladesh’s Fightback Ends in Heartbreak in the Super Over

When Bangladesh’s ninth wicket fell, 30 runs were still needed off 16 balls. Pakistan’s victory seemed only a matter of time. But three sixes in one over suddenly changed the picture. With the heroics of the last-wicket pair—pacers Abdul Gaffar Saklain and Ripon Mondol—the match ended in a ‘tie’, taking the contest to a Super Over. However, Bangladesh ‘A’ could not prevail there.

In the final of the Asian Cricket Council Rising Stars Tournament, Pakistan Shaheens (A team) became champions by defeating Bangladesh in the Super Over.

In Doha, Qatar, on Sunday, Bangladesh restricted Pakistan to 125 runs through a combined attack of pace and spin. In reply, Akbar Ali’s team were on the verge of defeat, losing 7 wickets for 53 runs and later 9 wickets for 96. From there, the No. 10 and No. 11 batsmen’s brilliance leveled the scores between the two teams.

Saklain—who scored 16 off 12 balls with 2 sixes in the main match—was sent out in the Super Over along with Habibur Rahman Sohan. On Ahmed Daniyal’s first ball, after Sohan took a single, Saklain departed giving a return catch. Off the next delivery, Bangladesh collected 5 runs with a wide and a boundary off a bye. But when Jisan Alam was bowled on the third ball, Bangladesh stopped at 6 runs.

Ripon, who in the semi-final took two wickets in the first two balls of the Super Over to restrict India to zero, could not do anything extraordinary this time. His first two balls conceded two runs. On the third ball, Saad Masood got a full toss and hit a four over deep square leg. Taking a single on the next ball, he and his team erupted in celebration.