Shakib counterattacks but Netherlands send back Tanzid and Hridoy

Bangladesh have the worst possible start against the Netherlands in a crucial T20 World Cup clash as their captain Najmul Hossain Shanto gifted his wicket early, much to the delight of the Dutch.

The Tigers stuck to the all-left hander combination of openers despite the prospect of facing off-spinner Aryan Dutt early. Shanto went for the reverse sweep first up and hit the ball straight to first slip.

Litton Das then joined Tanzid Hasan in the middle. Tanzid, a naturally aggressive player, took the attack back to pacer Vivian Kingma. 

Litton went for the sweep early in his innings off Dutt, trying to take advantage of the positive match-up, but Sybrand Engelbrecht took an absolute screamer to dismiss the Bangladesh number three.

Tanzid and Shakib, despite losing the openers, played their natural game. The Netherlands tried to attack them by short-pitched bowling but the duo was equal to the task.

Shakib, in particular, got going with a 19-run over off pacer Logan van Beek. He played cut and pull shots in that over against short balls, his nemesis lately. 

Tanzid, on the other hand, was the first to counterattack. After his captain Shanto’s dismissal, the southpaw took down Vivian Kingma and played the opponent’s best bowler Dutt fairly well. He hit five fours and a six in his vital knock.

But the short ball worked in the end for the Netherlands and Paul van Meekeren as Tanzid (35 off 26) pulled the ball, but not with conviction, and lost his wicket. Bangladesh were 73-3 after nine.

Towhid Hridoy was tied down by the Netherlands spinners and in the end he was cleaned up by Tim Pringle as he shaped for a cut shot in a delivery too close to cut.

After 13, Bangladesh were 95-4.