Nasir dazzles with all-round show
Sports Reporter
Nasir Hossains brilliant all-rounding performance helped Bangladesh-A team level the three-match one day series 1-1 against their Indian counterparts with a 65-run win at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday.
The second string Bangladesh team managed to muster a moderate 252-8 in 50 overs courtesy of Nasir Hossains outstanding unbeaten102, after which India-A were bowled out for 187 in 42.2 overs.
The home side won the toss and sent Bangladesh to bat first. Left-arm medium pacer Rush Kalaria gave the breakthrough first for India when he sent back opener Rony Talukdar before opening their account.
Together with Soumya Sarkar, Anamul Haque Bijoy thereafter hit a 60-run for the second wicket stand. Soumya struck 24 off 30 with five
boundaries before being bowled by Rishi Dhawan, who then victimised skipper Mominul Haque for his second prey. As a result, Bijoy,
who tried to extend the scoreline, fell short. Mominul gave catch behind the stumps while he was on just three. Just six runs after skippers exit,
Anamul Haque walked back to the pavilion being caught and bowled by Karn Sharma. Bijoy smashed 34 with three fours and one six in his
53-ball innings.
Sabbir Rahman increased the fuss further for Bangladesh when he dismissed cheaply while the visitors were sprawling on 82-5 in 18.1 overs.
In this precarious situation, Nasir Hossain took the rudder of the team on his shoulder and proved his worth as the teams vice-captain.
He made a string of successful partnerships en route to his unbeaten century. Nasir Hossain faced 96 balls to make an unbeaten 102 that studded with 12 fours as many as an over-boundary.
Nasir struck a flourishing 70-run sixth- wicket with Liton Kumar Das and then a 50-run with Arafat Sunny for the seventh wicket partnership, which surpassed the 200-run mark.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Liton fell five runs short of his half-century. He cracked 45 off 57, clobbering six boundaries before being caught by Karun Nair off Rishi Dhawan, who was the most successful bowler, finishing his bowling figure with 10-1-44-3. He was aided by Karn Sharma, who claimed a brace.
Chasing the target of 253-runs to win, Indian side made a solid start by their skipper Unmukt Chand and Manish Pandey though they lost Mayank Agarwal shortly. But Nasir was adamant to not let the sheen off his hundred get stolen with a defeat for
his side.
He got rid of a well-set Unmukt Chand for 56 in 28th over. Since then, he preyed on Rishi Dhawan by getting him bowled in the 36th over following being dished India-A a double blow by foxing both Suresh Raina and Karun Nair into getting stumped in the 34th over.
His efforts were backed by his namesake Rubel Hossain, who got rid of a dangerous-looking Mayank Agarwal early in the innings. He bowled with a mix of control, pace and accuracy and Indian side failed to get him away.
Finally, Gurkeerat lost his battle and fell to another Hossain, Al Amin this time. Gurkeerat, the final wicket to fall, was dismissed for a
30-ball 34. India A, lost the game that looked like theirs to take after halfway through their innings, by 65 runs. Nasir and Rubel finally took the bulk of the wickets between them as Nasir scalped five for 36 and Rubel grabbed four 33 for the winning side.
