Shakib Stars as Bangladesh Close in on Super 8s with Win Over Netherlands

Bangladesh took a giant leap towards the T20 World Cup Super 8s with a commanding 25-run victory over the Netherlands in St Vincent.

Veteran Shakib Al Hasan, previously struggling for form, led the charge with a crucial 64-run knock, guiding his side to a competitive total of 159.

Shakib’s innings came at a critical juncture. After losing two early wickets to Aryan Dutt’s bowling, he steadied the ship with an unbeaten 46-ball knock.

The 37-year-old found momentum later in the innings, collaborating with Mahmudullah and Jaker Ali for a late flourish that sent the St Vincent crowd, witnessing their first international match in almost a decade, into a frenzy.

While Shakib couldn’t replicate his batting success with the ball, conceding two sixes early on, it was young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain who emerged as the bowling hero.

Hossain’s crucial wickets in the 15th over, dismissing Sybrand Engelbrecht and Bas de Leede, effectively halted the Dutch chase at 111-5. He capped off his impressive performance with a smart caught-and-bowled dismissal of Logan van Beek, restricting the Netherlands to just 134 runs.

The Dutch batsmen started brightly, with Vikram Singh smashing three sixes in a valiant 26-run knock. However, his dismissal by Litton Das effectively derailed their momentum.

The Netherlands’ hopes dwindled further with Hossain’s intervention, as they could only manage a paltry 23 runs in their final five overs.

This win puts Bangladesh in a commanding position in Group D. With a two-point lead over the Netherlands, they only need a victory against Nepal on Monday to confirm their qualification for the Super 8s.

For the Dutch, qualification hinges on them winning against Sri Lanka and hoping for a Bangladesh loss against Nepal, along with a significant improvement in their net run rate.