MUSCAT: Chris Greaves starred with bat and ball as Scotland shocked Bangladesh with a six-run win on Sunday’s opening day of the Twenty20 World Cup.

Greaves’ 28-ball 45 guided Scotland to 140-9 and he then took two key wickets with his leg spin to keep down Bangladesh to 134-7 in the second first-round Group ‘B’ match of the day at the Al-Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat.

Greaves, who had earlier rescued Scotland from 53-6 with his batting, sent back star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, for 20, and senior batter Mushfiqur Rahim, for 38 to dent Bangladesh’s chase.

Pace bowler Brad Wheal returned figures of 3-24 as world number six Bangladesh suffered an early setback in their fight to make the Super 12 stage.

Bangladesh spinners Mahedi Hasan and Shakib justified their captain Mahmudullah’s decision of bowling first by taking regular wickets but Greaves gave Scotland crucial runs with his late cameo of 45.

Scotland tried to rebuild after losing skipper Kyle Coetzer for a duck but Mahedi soon struck twice in an over to send back Matthew Cross, for 11, and opener George Munsey, for 29.

Shakib joined forces with another double strike and his wicket of Michael Leask (0) that got him past Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga as the leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals.

Shakib, who is the only player to achieve a T20 double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets, returned figures of 2-17 while Mahedi was the wrecker-in-chief with 3-19.

Greaves, batting at number seven, hit back with four fours and two sixes in his 28-ball knock as Scotland plundered 53 runs from the last 30 deliveries.

In reply, Bangladesh lost their openers early before Shakib and Mushfiqur put on 47 for the third wicket to put the chase back on track.

Greaves broke the stand with his first ball, getting Shakib caught at the boundary and then bowled Mushfiqur at the start of his second over.

Wheal rattled the middle order with key strikes including Mahmudullah for 23 and even a late burst by Mahedi could not take Bangladesh over the line.

Scoreboard

SCOTLAND:

H.G. Munsey b Mahedi 29

K.J. Coetzer b Saifuddin 0

M.H. Cross lbw b Mahedi 11

R.D. Berrington c Afif b Shakib 2

C.S. MacLeod b Mahedi 5

M.A. Leask c Liton b Shakib 0

C.N. Greaves c Shakib b Mustafizur 45

M.R.J. Watt c Soumya b Taskin 22

J.H. Davey b Mustafizur 8

S.M. Sharif not out 8

B.T.J. Wheal not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-4, NB-1) 9

TOTAL (for nine wkts, 20 overs) 140

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-45, 3-46, 4-52, 5-52, 6-53, 7-104, 8-131, 9-131.

BOWLING: Taskin Ahmed 3-0-28-1 (1nb); Mustafizur Rahman 4-1-32-2 (2w); Mohammad Saifuddin 4-0-30-1 (2w); Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-17-2; Mahedi Hasan 4-0-19-3; Afif Hossain 1-0-10-0.

BANGLADESH:

Liton Das c Munsey b Wheal 5

Soumya Sarkar c Munsey b Davey 5

Shakib Al Hasan c M’Leod b Greaves 20

Mushfiqur Rahim b Greaves 38

Mahmudullah c MacLeod b Wheal 23

Afif Hossain c Davey b Watt 18

Nurul Hasan c MacLeod b Wheal 2

Mahedi Hasan not out 13

Mohammad Saifuddin not out 5

EXTRAS (LB-2, W-3) 5

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 20 overs) 134

FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-18, 3-65, 4-74, 5-106, 6-110, 7-116.

DID NOT BAT: Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman.

BOWLING: Wheal 4-0-24-3; Davey 4-0-24-1 (1w); Sharif 3-0-26-0 (1w); Leask 2-0-20-0; Watt 4-0-19-1; Greaves 3-0-19-2 (1w).

RESULT: Scotland won by six runs.

UMPIRES: Ahsan Raza (Pakistan) and R.A. Kettleborough (England).

TV UMPIRE: C.B. Gaffaney (New Zealand).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Chris Greaves (Scotland).

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2021