T20 World Cup / First upset of T20 WC, five big things about SCO vs BAN match

T20 World Cup | Two matches were played on the first day of T20 World Cup 2021. The second match of Group B was played between Bangladesh and Scotland at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman and Scotland surprised everyone with their performance in this match. Batting first after losing the toss, Scotland had at one point lost six wickets for 53 runs, but after that Chris Greaves along with first Mark Watts and then Josh Dave took the innings and gave Scotland a comeback in the match. Scotland scored 140 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs, in reply Bangladesh team could only manage 134 runs for seven wickets in 20 overs. Greaves performed brilliantly with bat and ball and was adjudged man of the match.

2 important points went to Scotland's account

Scotland were battling first after losing the toss in this Group B match, at one point scoring 53 for six despite opener George Munsey's 29 runs. It was here that Greaves (45 off 28 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) shared a 51-run partnership with Mark Watts (22 off 17 balls) as Scotland posted a challenging 140 for nine. Greaves also got Scotland back in the bowling. Mushfiqur Rahim (38 off 36 balls) and Shakib Al Hasan (20 off 28 balls) were dismissed by Greaves in successive overs when Bangladesh were recovering from their initial blows. In the end, Bangladesh's team could only manage 134 runs for seven wickets. In this way Scotland achieved two important points.

Greaves all-round performance

Greaves took two wickets for 19 runs in three overs. Brad Wheel took three for 24 while John Davy and Mark Watt took one wicket each. The Scottish pacers bowled extremely tightly and put Bangladesh under pressure with the wickets of both openers Soumya Sarkar (5) and Litton Das (5), which they could not recover from till the end. Alam was that Bangladesh could reach only 25 runs for two wickets in the powerplay.

Shakib-Rahim could not even handle Bangladesh innings

Rahim and Shakib, two of Bangladesh's most experienced players, took the lead in grooming the innings. Both of them shared a 47-run partnership but spent 46 balls for this, which increased the pressure on the team. Rahim took the score to 50 runs in the ninth over by hitting two consecutive sixes on Michael Leask, but Greaves showed greatness as soon as he grabbed the ball and sent both of them out and sent Bangladesh on the backfoot. Callum McLeod ran the first ball of Greaves and took a beautiful catch of Shakib. This leg-spinner bowled Rahim on the googly in the next over. He would also have got the wicket of Afif Hossain (18 off 12 balls) but Michael Cross dropped his catch. Left-arm spinner Watt did not allow him to last long. Captain Mahmudullah (23) and Mehdi Hasan (13 not out) could only close the margin of defeat.

Scotland batsmen helpless in front of spinners

Earlier, Scotland's top and middle order were shattered in front of experienced Bangladesh spinners. Fast bowler Mohammad Saifuddin took the first wicket by bowling captain Kyle Coetzer. Munse then made some fine shots, including sixes on Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman. Scotland's score was 39 for one till the powerplay and they looked in good shape but after that the spinners took the ball and then the whole story changed. Scotland lost five wickets in eight runs. Spinner Mehdi Hasan took three for 19 while Shakib (2 for 17) and pacer Mustafizur (2 for 32) took two wickets each.

Shakib Al Hasan's world record

When Shakib applied pressure, Mehdi bowled Munse in his first over after lbw out Matthew Cross (11). Shakib then shook Scotland's middle order by dismissing Richie Barrington (2) and Michael Leask (nil) while Mehdi ended a struggling innings by veteran Callum McLeod (five off 14 balls). Shakib took the wicket of Lisk to hold the record of Lasith Malinga (107) for the highest wicket-taker in T20 Internationals. Greaves, however, did not let the spinners dominate himself.