Mushfiq bemoans narrow defeat
Beximco Dhaka skipper Mushfiqur Rahim was disappointed at the narrow defeat against Minister Group Rajshahi in their opening game of the Bangabandhu T20 Cup on Tuesday.
Mushfiqur’s side was on course of the victory as they needed just 9 runs in the last over after Minister Group Rajshahi was restricted to 169-9. However, Muktar Ali who struck three sixes and scored 20 out of 21 in the penultimate over, could score just 6 runs, including a run from no-ball in the last over.
Dhaka eventually was held back to 167-5 to concede a two-run defeat. Beximco Dhaka captain Mushfiqur Rahim congratulated Rajshahi off-spinner Mahedi Hasan for his decisive bowling in the last over.
“The way they played and the way Mahedi bowled the last over was excellent,” Mushfiqur Rahim said after the match.
The captain, however, blamed their bowling for the loss. “I think we did not do very well in bowling. I don’t think we started well, we did well in the middle and then Sohan and Mahedi batted well in the end. I think our bowlers could not bowl according to their own plan,” he added.
Most of the Dhaka batsmen started well but just couldn’t finish the job. Naim Sheikh made a 26 runs but couldn’t prolong the innings while Mushfiqur and Akbar Ali had a good partnership for the fourth wicket stand as they scored 71 off 53.
Both Mushfiqur and Akbar got dismissed when they were nicely set in the crease.
“It was important to prolong the innings but we couldn’t do that, which was another reason of our defeat. Me, Akbar and Naim were set in the crease but we couldn’t capitalize on it,” he said.
“The match was in our hands but they bowled well at the end. Me and Akbar got dismissed at the crucial time and it is difficult for a new batsman to hit from the beginning in this kind of wicket,” he remarked.
Muktar Ali hit three sixes in the 19th over, which got praise from Mushfiqur.
“You can’t expect that a batsman will hit three sixes after coming to the crease. The achievement is that Muktar batted very well except in the last over,” he said.