Menu

Bangladesh A vs India A, 1st Semi-Final (A1 v B2)

Match tied (Bangladesh A won the super over)
BANA
194/6(20)
INDA
194/6(20)
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
One had to understand the feelings of Bangladesh A skipper, Akbar Ali at the post-match presentation to sum it all up. He spoke as a relieved man. Imagine had they lost, he would have been the butt of all jokes and criticism. But now he can be happy. Jitesh on the other hand put the blame on himself saying he should have finished it off. When Akbar Ali missed the stumps with that lunge off the last ball in the main game, and saw the batters celebrate midway into the 3rd run, he would have wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. But he was saved his blushes by Ripon. A frankly unreal game of cricket ends after so many twists and turns and it's Bangladesh who have won. On that note, it has been a privilege to have covered this game as we sign off from here. There's loads of cricketing action on this platform so find your drug of choice. For now that's it. I need a liedown. Bye bye.
Akbar Ali | Bangladesh A captain: Should apologise to everyone supporting us. I knew the equation but I don't know what happened in my mind and I threw the ball (during the last ball). So in the Super Over, when we were going in with the ball, I just said whatever happens, I take responsibility. When me and Sohan were going, we had our sight on 180. But the way Meherob and Yasir finished the game (innings) was incredible. Hats off to them. The way their openers started, we didn't bowl that bad, but they executed brilliantly. Came down to the wire. The way Ripon bowled 19th over gave us a boost. Sometimes in hindsight you can think that I should go with seamers, but at that moment I felt Rakibul can do it and he did. Still trying to soak it in. Of course we'll take some rest and go to the drawing board tomorrow.
Jitesh Sharma | India A captain: Good game of cricket, good learning for us, I will take all responsibility, as a senior I should finish the game. It's about the learning, not the losing. You never know, these guys may win World Cup for India some day. In terms of talent they're touching the sky. It's all about learning and experience. My wicket was the turning point. I know how to handle these situations. They bowled really well. Whoever bowled the 19th over, credit to him. All 20 overs we were in control, don't blame anyone. It's a good game, that's it. They are masters of powerplay (Vaibhav and Priyansh) but in the death me, Ashu and Raman are who can hit at will. So it was team decision and my decision (lineup for Super Over). That leftie guy who played the innings, incredible to play such shots, they also have incredible future.
Ripon Mondol | Player of the Match: Feeling so good. My mind was saying I can do this. Message from captain was to back my strength.
In the Super Over, India strangely didn't opt for Suryavanshi and instead sent in Jitesh and Ramandeep. Ripon bowled a fine yorker to get the former and Ashutosh was out next ball to leave Bangladesh to get just one. When it looked like the game was done, in the chase of the Super Over, Yasir Ali holed out to long-on and it needed a wide to win it for Bangladesh. Who knows what would have happened had Suyash got the googly on target as Akbar Ali had shuffled across and exposed his stumps. All those drops and brainfade moments from Bangladesh especially from Akbar Ali didn't prove costly, mainly thanks to Ripon. He was the main reason for Bangladesh reaching the final. Also a word of praise for Raqibul who bowled such a good spell in the main game. A scarcely believable game of cricket and we have Bangladesh moving to the final and India getting knocked out. Woosh! Stay tuned for the post-match stuff as I barely have any nails left.
16:29 Local Time, 13:29 GMT, 18:59 IST: Wow! Wowza! I haven't witnessed such a game of cricket in recent times. What do we even make of it? How to make sense of it. I'm numb at the moment. Let me go try and sum it all up. It all started with the Suryavanshi onslaught at the start and then Bangladesh came back with tight overs and wickets. But India kept attacking through Priyansh and then through Jitesh and Wadhera. Just when a team had the advantage, the other team fought back. At the start of the 19th over, India were ahead but Ripon bowled a magnificent over conceding just 5 to leave India to get 16 off the last. Two singles came off Raqibul's over and then a six and a dropped catch which went for four. With 4 needed off 2, Ashutosh was cleaned up and off the last ball, Akbar Ali lost his head and went for a run-out when he just needed to grab hold of the ball. A certain India defeat saw the game move into the Super Over.
Ball 2 - Suyash to Akbar Ali - WIDE! Bangladesh win! Missed stumping though! The googly and down leg, with legslip and short-leg waiting, Akbar Ali shuffles across to clip and misses, had Jitesh caught the ball, he had a chance to stump the batter. Akbar Ali overbalanced and clearly was out of his crease, as soon as the stumping chance goes, the wide call comes and Akbar Ali folds his hands and prays in celebration. The Bangladesh side come out and hug him, lift him. A mental mental game ends through a wide in a Super Over! Can you write such a script? My always on the money colleague - Sagar Chawla - mentions that even with the stumping, Bangladesh would have won as it was a wide. There you go then!
Who will be the next batter for Bangladesh? Akbar Ali the skipper is in. He is shadow-practicing the forward defence. Can he finish it off? Now doing some gardening.
Ball 1- Suyash to Yasir Ali - OUT! Caught by Ramandeep! What a mental game this is. Yasir holes out to long-on. He gets under this tossed up delivery outside off, lofts and Ramandeep going back judges it well, has the presence of mind to keep his feet away from the cushions, it was close but clearly he is inside. Also Ramandeep almost dropped that, but clutched it using his body as he felt the ball slipping away. They are checking for a clean catch and it is. Taking multiple looks at the angles. Looks a clean catch. And it is given out. Still work for Bangladesh to do. Bangladesh 0/1
Right Yasir Ali and Jishan Alam are the Bangladesh openers. Suyash Sharma will bowl the Super Over. India have their heads down. A legslip.
Ripon hats off. Bangladesh just need one. Questionable from India not to send Suryavanshi and then Jitesh tried to be cute to a pinpoint yorker. Ashutosh went next ball and India A coach - Sunil Joshi is writing something down on his diary. Will we have more drama when India bowl? Who will be the batters for Bangladesh? For the first time Joshi has his Oakley sunglasses on his cap. He doesn't look pleased. Naman Dhir has a chat with Jitesh. India on the field and wait for the Bangladeshi batters. Suryavanshi doesn't look happy as he stares at space with folded arms.
Ball 2 - Ripon to Ashutosh - OUT! Caught at extra-cover by Zawad Abrar. Two in two. What a Super Over this is. Right up there on off, full, Ashutosh gets forward to loft, slices across it, simple catch for extra-cover and he takes it. Two wickets and that's the end of the Indian innings. Understandably Ripon is pumped and the crowd go wild. India 0/2 and all-out
No Suryavanshi. Ashutosh comes out.
Ball 1- Ripon to Jitesh - OUT! Bowled! What a yorker that is, right up there on middle-stump, at the base of the stump, Jitesh looks to reverse-lap and misses, showed his hand too early there, Ripon who has been so good, finds the target. Dream start for Bangladesh. India 0/1
16:13 Local Time, 13:13 GMT, 18:43 IST: Phew. Let me breathe. Still processing what happened off that last ball. Meanwhile we are ready for the Super Over. Since India batted 2nd, they are coming out to bat. It's Jitesh and Ramandeep who are out there. Let's see who bowls for Bangladesh. It's Ripon. And understandably so.
20
1 1 6 4 W 3 (15 runs)
INDA 194-6
Harsh Dubey
3(1)
Nehal Wadhera
32(29)
Rakibul Hasan
4-0-39-2
19.6
Rakibul Hasan to Harsh Dubey, 3 runs, epic brainfade from Akbar Ali. We are going to have a Super Over. What was Akbar Ali thinking there? It's full just outside off, mistimed heave to long-on and the batters reluctantly go for the 2nd, the throw goes to the keeper and he loses all game sense, goes for the run-out, lobs it at the stumps with the under-arm from close range, misses and there's no backing up. India know it and they come back for the third. Look at the celebrations in the Indian camp. They know they have got out of jail in this. As soon as Harsh Dubey hit that, he put his head down in disappointment and ran for what seemed a resigned run, Nehal Wadhera was coming back for the 2nd, the throw from long-on is well wide of Akbar Ali, who makes a monumental blunder. Did he not know the equation? After the game ends, few Bangladeshi players tell him that 3 was needed for the Super Over and not 2. Had Akbar found the stumps, Harsh was well out going for the 2nd. Anyway, what a game and what a finish here. Just out of the world stuff!
Harsh Dubey, left handed bat, comes to the crease
3 for the Super Over. Rakibul Hasan comes in and doesn't deliver. Mindgames from him. He will come again.
19.5
W
Rakibul Hasan to Ashutosh Sharma, out Bowled!! And another twist. Fires the yorker under the bat and goes under Ashutosh Sharma's swinging blade, on to the base of middle-stump. End of a good cameo but he has failed to finish it off. Again Akbar Ali asks for calm from his team. Rakibul Hasan just gets on with it. No celebration at all from him. Ashutosh Sharma b Rakibul Hasan 13(6) [4s-1 6s-1]
Rakibul Hasan to Ashutosh Sharma, THATS OUT!! Bowled!!