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Talat scored 32 in 30 balls and took two wickets in the high-stakes game against SL

Danyal Rasool24-Sep-20252:09

Chopra: Talat holding one end up was important

Pakistan allrounder Hussain Talat launched a passionate defence of his utility to his side with the bat, saying there were “only four or five” players who could play T20 cricket in the middle order. Speaking after guiding his side to victory against Sri Lanka in a game where defeat would have put them on the brink of elimination, he called T20I middle order batting “the hardest of skills”.”We keep saying that if we need a middle order player they need to know how to be both aggressive and have the ability to anchor,” Talat said at the press conference after the game. “But the chances of failure with that kind of cricket are high. Unfortunately, if you don’t perform a few games or series, the media and fans immediately go after you and you’re out of the team suddenly.”I think the middle order is the hardest place to play in T20 cricket because you’re required to play all kinds of cricket. And because it’s difficult, I think you should have more chances in that position. And players who can play in the middle order are very rare in Pakistan, perhaps four or five. And even they don’t want to play there.”Perhaps, given the difficult couple of days he – and the rest of the Pakistan middle order have had, that is understandable. On Sunday, Pakistan’s descent from superiority in their clash against India can be traced almost to the moment Talat walked out to the crease in the 11th over. Until then, Pakistan had sped along at nine an over, but when Saim Ayub was dismissed and Talat was surprisingly sent in to bat, all that changed.Talat, who hadn’t played any games in the UAE in the month Pakistan have been here until that day, looked rusty. He scratched around for 11 balls and scored just 10 as India snatched momentum away from Pakistan. Just 38 came in the seven overs that began when Talat walked out to the crease, the lowest for that period of the game all tournament. India would ultimately cruise to victory, with much of Pakistan’s ire directed at Talat and his fellow middle-order batters. It was, Talat said, why he stays away from social media, but admitted it still affected him.Related

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On Tuesday, it was a different story. With a match situation more conducive to his abilities, he found his side floundering rather than flourishing, and anchored the chase to ensure they did not let victory slip from their grasp.”We’d lost so no one was feeling good,: Talat said. “The people wanted us to win, and we did what we could against India, too. But there was no extra pressure before today’s game. There was plenty of criticism which we were trying to avoid and which isn’t good for the team. But it was crucial to win today.”In pursuit of 134, that victory looked almost assured when the opened darted to the perfect start, Pakistan helping themselves to 43 in the first five overs. But a two-wicket sixth over from Maheesh Theekshana triggered a collapse where Pakistan lost four wickets for 13 runs, and Sri Lanka were ascendant.”The pitch was a bit sticky, but improved in the second innings,” Talat said. “We lost a few wickets quickly and that put us under a lot of pressure. And then we were running out of batting pairs which required us to take the game deep.”Sri Lanka tightened the screws further when Dushmantha Chameera cleaned up Mohammad Haris as he slogged wildly, reducing Pakistan to 80 for 5, still 54 runs adrift. With the asking rate under control – at exactly six an over, Talat decided to do something not many in the Pakistan camp talk about much these days – batting circumspectly.”In the group, when we talk about batting, it’s always about playing aggressive. But when I went in, a couple of wickets fell. My gut feeling was the only way to win after that was to take the game deep. When Nawaz hit Hasaranga for two fours, he said he’d go for his shots and for me to anchor. And that worked nicely for both of us.”Pakistan saw off the dangerous Theekshana aware that Wanindu Hasaranga, too, would eventually have to bowl out. But when the allrounder came in for his final two over, he went searching desperately, and that opened up scoring options. Nawaz hit him for two fours in his third when he dropped the ball short, and with the target rushing up to meet them, Talat helped himself to two more in Hasaranga’s last to drive the final nail into Sri Lanka’s coffin. In the end, the runs came in a hurry, with Mohammad Nawaz walloping Chameera for three sixes in five balls as Pakistan cantered to the finish in the 18th over.A win can make all the difference, particularly for Talat who has spent far longer out of the side looking in than most in this group. His recent inclusion into the side has only come after more than four years out in the international wilderness, where he feels people haven’t quite appreciated how hard he’s needed to work to scrap his way back in.”We’re hopeful. We’ve been playing T20 cricket for four months or so now, since Bangladesh came to Pakistan in May. Players are being backed in this group; in the past, players used to play a couple of matches and then be omitted. Now they’re getting an extended run like we see elsewhere in international cricket.”We’re two games away from the trophy, and we believe we can win it.”

All-round Nitish Kumar Reddy backed up by the SRH quicks took the side over the line defending 182

Himanshu Agrawal09-Apr-2024Sunrisers Hyderabad dropped three catches of Ashutosh Sharma in the final over off which Punjab Kings needed 29 runs. Two of them went over the ropes for sixes and nearly turned the match. But when the third went down, only one delivery remained and Kings needed nine. Shashank Singh sent the last ball miles over the long-off boundary, but Kings fell short by just two runs in their chase of 183 to give Sunrisers their third win of the season.It was Jaydev Unadkat who bowled that last over which went for 26. As fate would have it, it was Unadkat who Harshal Patel had dropped on the final ball of Sunrisers’ innings and the ball had popped up over the rope for six. Fine margins.What a dream it would have been had Shashank and Ashutosh pulled off another heist like they did five days back against Gujarat Titans. But eventually, they were left with too many to get in the final over of the chase.

Shashank, Ashutosh at it again

They joined forces when Kings were 114 for 6 halfway into the 16th over. The required rate at the time was 15.33 which soon shot up to 16.75 with 24 balls remaining. Different bowlers bowled each of those four overs, and each one of them was taken to the cleaners.In the 17th, Shashank took on Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He got a streaky outside edge over short third first ball of the over for four. The next ball was drilled to wide long-off, and the fifth one slashed to deep extra cover.Ashutosh then kept Kings in the hunt, swatting and ramping Pat Cummins for back-to-back fours in the 18th over. The odds still remained with SRH, with Kings requiring 39 in the last two overs. T Natajaran was taken for ten, an excellent over in the context of things, which left Unadkat with 28 to defend in the 20th.Unadkat’s final over started with a six, two wides and another six. Fourteen runs gone in two balls. But he came back well conceding just six runs in his next three balls. Shashank deposited the last ball for six, but Kings narrowly missed out on getting over the line.Nitish Kumar Reddy’s 37-ball 64 took Sunrisers Hyderabad to an above par total•BCCI

Reddy rescues SRH

Nitish Kumar Reddy’s heart would have been in his mouth during the carnage in the final over. After all, he had spilled Ashutosh’s catch the first ball of the final over. But it was Reddy’s knock of 64 from 37 balls that rescued SRH from a precarious 64 for 4 in the tenth over and took them to 182.After Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram fell cheaply, it was down to Reddy to do the repair work. On 14 from 18 balls at one stage, he slammed Harpreet Brar for four and a six in the 11th over. Kagiso Rabada was hooked over long leg for six, and Sam Curran was smashed over deep square. But Reddy really turned the screws in the 15th over, when he deposited Brar for 4, 6, 4, 6 off successive balls.

Arshdeep sets things right

Coming into the game Arshdeep Singh had four wickets in as many games in IPL 2024. Against SRH, he doubled his season tally on his way to figures of 4 for 29. The first of those came when on the second ball of the third over, Dhawan turned around 180 degrees and back-pedalled from mid-off to catch Head. Two deliveries later, Arshdeep angled one across Markram, and had him edging behind to the wicketkeeper. Arshdeep’s first spell figures were 2-0-8-2, and as a result, SRH had their worst powerplay of the season, being restricted to 40 for 3.Before Tuesday night, Arshdeep had only one wicket in 20 balls in the death overs this season. His economy rate was 11.70. But against SRH, he was brought back for the death overs, where he bowled two out of the four.Reddy and Abdul Samad had added 50 in just 19 balls when Arshdeep went full and wide to Samad on the third ball of the 17th over, who found deep point. The fast bowler then removed Reddy, who only managed to loft a low full toss to long-on. Shahbaz Ahmed took 15 from the 19th over of the innings to somewhat spoil Arshdeep’s figures, but it was still an excellent day out for the quick despite ending on the losing side.

“It was not an even contest between bat and ball,” says Richie Richardson, the match referee for the Test

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Dec-2022The Gabba pitch has been given a “below average” rating and handed one demerit point from the ICC after the first Test between Australia and South Africa ended inside two days.In total, only 866 balls were bowled in the match, which makes it the second-shortest Test ever played in Australia, and 34 wickets fell in that time. Bowlers took a wicket every 25.5 balls, the second-best strike rate in a Test match ever (with a minimum of 30 wickets), and South Africa captain Dean Elgar said afterwards that the surface did not facilitate a “fair contest,” between bat and ball. The ICC agreed.Related

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“Overall, the Gabba pitch for this Test match was too much in favour of the bowlers,” Richie Richardson, the match referee for the Test, said. “There was extra bounce and occasional excessive seam movement. The odd delivery also kept low on the second day, making it very difficult for batters to build partnerships.”I found the pitch to be ‘below average’ as per the ICC guidelines since it was not an even contest between bat and ball.”Richardson, however, did not go as far as Elgar and suggest the surface could have posed a danger to batters.Elgar had posed the question to Chris Gaffney and Rod Tucker, the on-field umpires, during Australia’s second innings when “KG [Kagiso Rabada] got [Travis] Head out down leg… and then [Anrich] Nortje was bowling those short ones that were flying over our heads”. But he did not receive an answer on-field.Australia captain Pat Cummins said there was “no way” the surface was dangerous but acknowledged it was “tricky” to bat on. “Two days probably isn’t ideal… personally, I don’t mind it if the groundsman err on the greener side occasionally; [I’ve] played a lot of Tests where they’ve erred on the flatter side. Think it was the same for both teams,” he said after the game.This is the second time that an Australian pitch has been given a negative rating by the ICC in the last four years. In January 2018, the MCG pitch was rated poor after a draw between Australia and England, in which only 24 wickets fell in five days.The next Test between Australia and South Africa will start at the MCG on Boxing Day.

Nick Selman eases home side past paltry target after bowlers make light work of Notts

ECB Reporters Network08-Aug-2021Glamorgan cruised to their fourth win in seven matches in Group 1 in the Royal London Cup as they beat Notts Outlaws by eight wickets after easily chasing down a modest score of 73 in a weather-effected contest.It means they still lead their group and remain very much on course for a home semi-final in the knock-out stage. They host Yorkshire on Thursday while the Outlaws, now four points behind the leaders, welcome Northamptonshire.Umpires Ian Gould and Neil Mallender made three inspections of the Sophia Gardens pitch and outfield before finally declaring play could start at 3.00pm, with the game reduced from 50 to 23 overs. After winning the toss the Glamorgan skipper, Kiran Carlson, invited the visitors to bat first.Ben Slater took a boundary over the covers in the opening over before Michael Hogan, who had removed Surrey opener Mark Stoneman with his first ball five days earlier, struck with his second ball to take out Sol Budinger.Budinger skied a catch that wicketkeeper Tom Cullen comfortably dealt with and then fellow opener Ben Slater fell lbw to Lucas Carey in the next over. By the end of the first Powerplay, the Outlaws were 19 for 3 with Matt Montgomery also back in the hutch and the Glamorgan seamers very much on top.Lyndon James survived a sharp chance at point to Andrew Salter, but then took a nasty blow on the helmet from James Cooke. An over later, on the recommendation of the umpires, he retired hurt and was replaced by concussion sub Sam King.His departure brought Liam Patterson-White to the wicket, but he didn’t last long, sent back to the pavilion courtesy of a spectacular one-handed catch by Steve Reingold at short midwicket off Cooke. When Glamorgan turned to spin, Salter clean bowled Peter Trego for eight in the ninth over.Dan Schadendorf was caught in the deep trying to hook Cooke to leave the Outlaws reeling at 31 for 6 and when 17-year-old academy star Fateh Singh struck the returning Hogan to the boundary in the 14th over it was only the third four of the innings.Hogan’s response was to clean bowl Brett Hutton, but Singh brought up the 50 in the 16th over with the first of two successive boundaries before departing for a combative 21 in the 18th over. James Weighell then mopped up the tail to end with 3 for 7 as he removed King and Dane Paterson with successive balls in the 21st over.That left Glamorgan with a modest total to chase and they ended the first Powerplay on 26 for 0 before New Zealand’s Hamish Rutherford spooned back a catch to pace bowler Dane Paterson in the very next over.Nick Selman steered the home side through the 50 mark in the 12th over. Steve Reingold was trapped lbw to Patterson-White in the 16th over and that allowed Carlson to come in and hit the winning boundary two balls later. Aussie opener Selman remained unbeaten on 36.

“We deemed the risks (in India) to be very low,” says Dr Shuaib Manjra

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Mar-2020How did CSA look at the situation before travelling to India?
Prior to the India tour, Cricket South Africa had engaged in a risk assessment to determine whether it was safe for us to travel to India. At that point in time, India had about 30 cases isolated. None of the cities that we were going to play in [Dharamsala, Lucknow and Kolkata] had any cases recorded of the novel coronavirus. And, at that point, the world was a very different place. We deemed the risks to be very low, and therefore we proceeded with the tour while taking the necessary precautions.How did things change while the team was in India?
While on tour in India, the world had clearly become a different place and we had to take cognizance of the fact that there was a change in global environment. Largely, the pandemic had moved from the east to the west, where Europe had become the new epicentre of the disease, the United States was affected, the World Health Organization had called it a global pandemic and countries were closing their borders.But since we were in India, we had to look at a number of scenarios: the local conditions in India, which was still considered as a low-risk country; we had to look at what was happening in South Africa, which was at low to medium risk, and then we had to look at the global environment, as to what was happening in the world in places like Europe, including France, Spain and Italy, and also in the United States, where we saw a rapid escalation of the disease.Looking at all three conditions, we had to predict where this disease was going to go and what the potential risks were for the tour. Some of the risks were that a few countries would close their borders and we would remain stuck in one country or the other. South Africa itself may have closed its borders, with the entire team stopped from leaving India or entering South Africa; or alternatively, we would have been quarantined or isolated in South Africa. So those were some of the scenarios that we thought of, but importantly and ultimately, it was the players’ frame of mind that was the determining factor.In fact, Joe Root, England’s captain, had said the same thing about their tour to Sri Lanka [which was also cancelled] though Sri Lanka had fewer cases than England did. But the players were in a different frame of mind – they were thinking about what was happening back home to their families, the risks about being stuck in Sri Lanka, the medical services in Sri Lanka, and therefore, they decided to go back home. So the players’ frame of mind had an important role to play in terms of the decision made by the BCCI in consultation with Cricket South Africa.ALSO READ: Sourav Ganguly indicates IPL 2020 likely to be ‘truncated’Was everyone comfortable while in India? What safety measures were taken?Absolutely [comfortable]. We ensured that the players were isolated in their hotels and every place that they were being transferred to – the hotel, the grounds, the team bus or the aircraft – was appropriately sanitised. They were not allowed to leave or go out and we ensured we had sufficient security around us to ensure that we didn’t get close to the public. We took sufficient means to ensure that the players were protected. Some even decided to wear masks while they were travelling.So, from the chain of movement that we had, we ensured that whether it was the change-room attendant or anyone else and even in the restaurants that we went to, they were all wearing masks. So, from their point of view, we were pretty isolated and largely immunised from the outside world, which also reduced the risk of infection significantly. And so we did take appropriate measures; we even travelled from city to city by a chartered flight and were whisked through airports and security. Even after we landed, we were similarly whisked through the security into the team bus and the hotel. So in a sense, we were in a quarantined state.What is the scenario for the next couple of weeks?
We relied on expert evidence and guidance such as the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, the Department of Health, the Center for Disease Control in the United States and the World Health Organization. We looked at the recommendations that they have made for different countries, which they have divided into high-risk, medium-risk and low-risk countries. Even with medium- and low-risk countries, they have made specific recommendations. Some of our own measures have been educating the players about the disease – what it is, what it means, what the symptoms are, recognising the symptoms, monitoring themselves in terms of temperature and any other symptom that could come with respect to COVID-19. So we are comfortable that they know what the symptoms of the disease are.What has been your recommendation to the team?
We have continued to make our experts available to them, so should they have any concerns about the symptoms even post the tour, they would contact us or the medical staff closest to them from the cricket fraternity, who would assist them. We have recommended that all players either self-isolate or social distance them for a minimum of 14 days. That would be the proper way to protect people around them, the community, their families and, in particular, the vulnerable people in their families. In this period, should anyone develop such symptoms or any other factor that is a cause for concern, we will ensure that they are investigated appropriately and managed as per the protocols that are currently existing.

The Sylhet Sixers captain switched stance midway through the 19th over to smash 6, 4, 4 on the way to a half-century

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2019Ever since his involvement in the sandpaper scandal at Cape Town last year, not much has gone right for David Warner in his year spent in exile from the Australian team on the T20 franchise circuit. That is until the left-hand batsman went right. Literally.Warner turned heads when he took guard right-handed against Chris Gayle midway through the 19th over of the Sylhet Sixers innings against Rangpur Riders on Wednesday. Judging by the resulting performance, he may be tempted to do it more often.
The Australian captain of Sylhet was on 45 off 32 balls at the time and had started the over on strike to Gayle with a two, but then couldn’t get either of the next two balls away. Ahead of the fourth ball, he swapped stance at the crease and, with Gayle coming around the wicket, smashed the fourth ball with a golf-style straight drive over Gayle’s head for six to bring up his half-century.Gayle countered by going over the wicket but Warner stayed right-handed for the fifth ball and reached out to sweep a low full toss behind square for four. For the last ball, Warner reverse-swept Gayle, not middling it but still getting enough of it to go to the boundary. Warner celebrated during the sequence by doing a hip-shimmy dance and appeared to exchange a few words with Gayle at the end of the over. Warner ended the innings unbeaten on 61 off 36 balls.”It was one of those things [batting right-handed] at the back of my mind as I couldn’t get Chris [Gayle] away because of his height and the lengths that he was bowling,” Warner said at the post-match presentation. “I play golf right-handed, so I thought I might as well come and swing and clear the ropes. It came off.”Warner, who is naturally right-handed with his throwing arm and initially batted right-handed as a child, has made a habit at training sessions of spending time batting right-handed. Gayle perhaps should not have been totally surprised at Warner’s method since the Australian attempted to employ the right-handed stance in a T20I against the Gayle-captained West Indies in 2010.However, Warner was denied by the on-field umpires, who allegedly told him at the time that it was against the spirit of the game and that it could produce a lengthy stall because the fielding side would need to adjust their field settings to comply with regulations. But Warner would not be denied in Sylhet, as he pulled out all the stops in an effort to get the Sixers out of last place on the BPL table.

The two openers scored centuries while the fast bowler picked up a five-for to lead Central Districts to a victory by an innings and 86 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2017Central Districts held sway of their match from the moment the coin came down in their favour. They chose to bat, put up a mammoth total, with their openers and No. 3 providing 325 of their 498 for 7 declared, and used scoreboard pressure to buy themselves a win over Canterbury by an innings and 86 runs.George Worker and Greg Hay set the ball rolling, scoring 111 and 140 respectively. And when the third-change bowler Tim Johnston broke through their partnership with the score on 188, the record-breaking Brad Schmulian came out and threatened the score a century to back up his double on debut last month. He fell 26 runs short, but had set up Central Districts to dictate terms for the rest of the game.The bowlers played their part as well, allowing only three Canterbury batsman – Michael Pollard (62), Cole McConchie (56), Cam Fletcher (50) – to reach fifty in two innings. Seth Rance picked up a five-for to ensure his side gained a whopping 304-run lead and Blair Tickner took the reins after the follow-on was enforced, picking up 4 for 41. It was Canterbury’s second loss of the tournament, and totals of 194 and 218 suggests their batsmen had succumbed fairly meekly.

A persistent shower that began 10 minutes before the start of the first match resulted in two games being abandoned without a ball bowled in Mirpur

Mohammad Isam04-Nov-2016Both matches on the opening day of the Bangladesh Premier League 2016-17 were abandoned without a ball being bowled in Dhaka. The only match-related action was the toss at the first match, where Rajshahi Kings opted to bowl first against Comilla Victorians. Twenty minutes after the toss took place, however, the ground was covered and the match ultimately called off at 4.50pm.The second match, between Khulna Titans and Rangpur Riders, was abandoned at 9.25pm local time after the ground was inundated.Unseasonal showers, caused by a depression in the Bay of Bengal, had affected Dhaka and different parts of the country over the past 24 hours. The weather was clear for three hours on Friday morning but the rain returned 10 minutes before the first match and did not relent.Popular local singer Ayub Bacchu held his concert under umbrellas between the two scheduled matches but there was no more fun for the crowd at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.Rain is also forecast for Saturday, with two matches scheduled in Dhaka.

Former West Indies captain Richie Richardson will join the ICC’s elite panel of match referees as a replacement for the retiring Roshan Mahanama

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Sep-2015Former West Indies captain Richie Richardson will join the ICC’s elite panel of match referees as a replacement for the retiring Roshan Mahanama.However, Richardson will not take up his new position until early next year, when he completes his current tenure as manager of the West Indies team. Mahanama last week announced his intention to step down from the ICC’s elite panel at the end of the year after more than a decade in the role.The appointment means Richardson will become the first West Indian to serve as a match referee in Tests since Clive Lloyd, who retired in 2007. He also follows fellow West Indians Jackie Hendriks, Cammie Smith, Everton Weekes and Clyde Walcott, who all served as match referees in the past.”I am excited and honoured to have been selected for one of the most important jobs in cricket,” Richardson said. “Having been on either side of the fence, first as a player and then as an administrator, I think I have the experience and insight to help me contribute positively alongside some of the finest and most experienced match officials.”Richardson played 86 Tests from 1983 to 1995, as well as 224 one-day internationals. He was appointed team manager of West Indies in January 2011 and will continue to serve in the role until the end of the Test tour of Australia, which concludes with the Sydney Test from January 3 to 7 next year.”Until the end of the Australia tour, I will remain fully committed and focused on my current assignment as the West Indies cricket team manager and I would like to thank the West Indies Cricket Board for its support over years as well as the encouragement it provided to me in taking up this new role,” he said.The ICC’s elite panel of match referees is made up of seven former cricketers who officiate in Test matches, and Richardson will join Ranjan Madugalle, Chris Broad, David Boon, Andy Pycroft, Javagal Srinath and Jeff Crowe. The ICC’s general manager of cricket, Geoff Allardice, said Richardson would be a valuable addition to the panel.”Richie is one of the greats of the game, who is admired for not only his accomplishments as a batsman but also the way he captained the West Indies when he embodied traits such as integrity, leadership and sportsmanship in his dealings both on and off the field,” Allardice said.”He is very familiar with the demands of international cricket through his experiences as a player, captain and now team manager, and he will bring a fresh perspective to the role. On behalf of the ICC, I congratulate Richie on his appointment and look forward to working with him. We have no doubt that he will make a strong and important contribution to ensuring the game continues to be played in the right spirit.”

Anamul Haque got over his lean patch in the BPL with a sparkling 83, helping Dhaka Gladiators to an 88-run win over Rangpur Riders

The Report by Mohammad Isam05-Feb-2013
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAnamul Haque ended a run of lean scores with an 83•AFP

Anamul Haque got over his lean patch in the BPL with a sparkling 83, helping Dhaka Gladiators to an 88-run win over Rangpur Riders. After a half-century in the opening game, Anamul hadn’t made a major contribution until today; he went after the Riders’ bowlers to help his side to a BPL record team score.With this win the Gladiators lead the points table through a better run-rate, ahead of second-placed Sylhet Royals, who have also won six games. It was the Riders’ fifth loss in as many games.Anamul struck five sixes and six boundaries in his 46-ball effort, and when he fell in the 19th over, Gladiators had closed in on 200. With Shakib Al Hasan, Anamul added 82 for the third wicket before the whirlwind 77-run fourth-wicket stand with Darren Stevens.In both these partnerships, Shakib and Stevens attacked more than Anamul, though the quieter role suited the youngster. Gladiators were boosted by Tillakaratne Dilshan’s arrival, but the Sri Lankan was left stranded in the middle of the pitch after he was deceived by debutant Murad Khan.Mohammad Ashraful gave a catch to the only man behind him on the leg side, but Anamul, Shakib and Stevens made up for those losses. Shakib made 42 off 24 balls with two sixes and four boundaries, while Stevens hammered three fours and two sixes in his 22-ball 42.The Riders promoted Kevin O’Brien to open the innings but the Ireland allrounder was run out after he had started off promisingly with two sixes, one of which reached the second tier of the grandstand after he had pulled Mashrafe Mortaza in the first over.Junaid Siddique and Nasir Hossain tried to force the pace in the Powerplay overs but both fell cheaply, giving no further leverage to the Riders’ chase. Shakib took three wickets while Mashrafe and Ashraful took two.