Bangladesh rode on the brilliant century by wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rehman and bowlers to emphatically defeat Sri Lanka by 137 runs in the Asia Cup 2018 opener at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday.
Rahim’s match-winning 144 was the joint second-highest individual score in Asia Cup history, but he would have been stuck on 112 had it not been for Tamim Iqbal’s bravery.
After Bangladesh lost their ninth wicket in the form of Rubel Hossain, Mushfiqur was seen shouting at the former and also gave him an earful. The incident took place in the 42nd over of the game when Lasith Malinga bowled a brilliant yorker that struck Rubel on the pad. The Sri Lankan fielders appealed and umpire Marais Erasmus raised his finger.
Rubel without thinking twice started walking back. However, Mushfiqur who had from the other end spotted that the ball had hit his bat first, was livid at the non-striker’s end, called up Rubel gave his partner an earful and asked him to review the decision.
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In the review paid off as it showed that the ball took an inside edge of Rubel’s bat before crashing into his pads and the decision was reversed.
Rubel, however, was dismissed in the 43rd over by spinner Dhananjya de Silva ending his short stay on the crease. Tamim, who had earlier suffered a wrist fracture then came to bat and helped Mushfiqur to score what turned out to be a match-winning hundred.
Watch | Tamim Iqbal Bats One-Handed After Wrist Fracture
Mushfiqur later paid tribute to Tamim, saying it was a great gesture from the left-handed opener. “(I was) really surprised to see Tamim come to bat, it’s a great gesture,” said the wicketkeeper-batsman after being declared Player of the Match. “When I saw him, it boosted me to do something for him and for my country.”
Bangladesh will now face Afghanistan on Thursday.