Afghanistan and Bangladesh reach cricket final in China

[third eye]

BBC News - Afghanistan and Bangladesh reach cricket final in China


The cricket teams of Afghanistan and Bangladesh have both caused upsets in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 tournament at the Asian Games in China.

The countries will now compete in the final after beating their highly-rated opponents - Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Afghanistan scored 125-8 in 20 overs and then held Pakistan to 103-7, giving them a surprise 22-run win.

Bangladesh then beat Sri Lanka by five wickets, surpassing Sri Lanka's total of 101 with 4.4 overs to spare.


The final will be held Friday in the city of Guangzhou, where cricket has been included in the Asian Games for the first time.

The Afghan win triggered big celebrations at home, where cricket is rapidly growing in popularity.

The BBC's Alex Capstick says it was an historic day for the Afghan team - even against a supposedly weakened Pakistan they were not expected to prevail.

"I know more than 500,000 people back in my city of Jalalabad would have already started celebrating," Afghan all-rounder Karim Khan Sadeq told the Associated Press.

As the last Pakistan wicket fell, many of the Afghan players fell to their knees and kissed the ground. President Hamid Karzai sent his congratulations.

Our correspondent say that Afghan cricket has come a long way since refugees - camped in Pakistan following the Soviet invasion in the 1980s - began playing the sport.

The national team achieved celebrity status when it qualified for the Twenty20 World Cup finals in the Caribbean earlier this year.

Facilities in Afghanistan are basic, but there are a growing number of cricket academies.

A large ground in Kabul is being renovated and there are plans to build a new stadium in Jalalabad.
'Something to smile about'

But it was not all disappointment for Pakistan.

Hockey players Sohail Abbas and Rehan Butt both scored as their team regained the Asian Games hockey gold medal after 20 years with a 2-0 victory over Malaysia.

"With so many bad things happening in Pakistan, like terrorism and floods, I think today we have given our countrymen something to smile about," Abbas said.

In other results, Indian male and female runners won gold medals in the 400m hurdles. Abraham Ganapathiplackal won the men's race and Ashwini Akkunji the women's race.

 

[GUNNER]

GUANGZHOU, China, Nov 26, 2010 (AFP) - Bangladesh cricketers won their nation's first ever Asian Games gold medal by ending Afghanistan's dream run in the inaugural final on Friday.

Mohammad Ashraful's men ensured their place in history with a five-wicket victory in a thrilling Twenty20 final in front of 2,000 excited spectators at the Guanggong cricket stadium.

The Afghan bravehearts, who had stunned Pakistan by 22 runs in Thursday's semi-final, fought till the end despite being restricted to 118-8 after they won the toss and elected to bat.

Bangladesh were reduced to 75-5 by the 16th over, before the sixth-wicket pair of Naeem Islam and Mohammad Shabbir put on an unbeaten 44-run partnership to secure a memorable win.

With 19 needed off 12 balls, the pair hammered 17 runs in the penultimate over bowled by off-spinner Karim Sadeq, including two towering sixes by Shabbir, to seal Afghanistan's fate.

Naeem returned unbeaten on 34 and Shabbir smashed 33 not out off 18 balls to clinch victory that will spark wild celebrations in the cricket-mad South Asian nation.

"I had a good talk with Naeen before the 19th over and we went for it," said Shabbir. "Luckily, it came good. There was no pressure on me, but I am sure my team-mates in the dressing room were tense."

Ashraful admitted he had given hope towards the end.

"I was feeling a bit low but then Shabbir came and did the job for us," the Bangladesh captain said. "It is thrilling to be part of a gold medal winning team.

"There was a bit of pressure because Afghanistan is a very good side and this was our first major final."

Afghanistan, a non-Test playing nation, took part in the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean this year and narrowly missed qualifying for the 2011 World Cup.

Naeem had earlier taken two wickets for eight runs from three overs to keep Afghanistan down to a modest total.

Afghanistan were 66-6 by the 13th over, before Mohammad Asghar revived their chances with an unbeaten 38 off 36 balls, sharing a crucial stand of 44 for the seventh wicket with Shabbir Ahmed (25).

Asghar boosted the total with 16 runs in the 17th over bowled by Nazmul Hossain that included a massive six over the straightfield.

Pakistan, meanwhile, clinched the bronze medal with an emphatic six-wicket win over Sri Lanka.

Skipper Khalid Latif led Pakistan's charge with an unbeaten 53 off 42 balls which helped his team overtake Sri Lanka's 135 all out with two overs to spare.

Latif, whose five one-day internationals made him the only capped player in his young team, hit four sixes, three of them in one over from leg-spinner Malinga Bandara.

Bilawal Bhatti returned unbeaten on a quickfire 24 off 14 balls that included the winning hit for a six off Nuwan Zoysa.

 

[Hyde]

Bangladesh win first ever Asian Games cricket gold

Updated at: 1659 PST, Friday, November 26, 2010
UANGZHOU: Bangladesh cricketers won their nation's first ever Asian Games gold medal by ending Afghanistan's dream run in the inaugural final on Friday.

Mohammad Ashraful's men ensured their place in history with a five-wicket victory in a thrilling Twenty20 final in front of 2,000 excited spectators at the Guanggong cricket stadium.

The Afghan bravehearts, who had stunned Pakistan by 22 runs in Thursday's semi-final, fought till the end despite being restricted to 118-8 after they won the toss and elected to bat.

Bangladesh were reduced to 75-5 by the 16th over, before the sixth-wicket pair of Naeem Islam and Mohammad Shabbir put on an unbeaten 44-run partnership to secure a memorable win.

With 19 needed off 12 balls, the pair hammered 17 runs in the penultimate over bowled by off-spinner Karim Sadeq, including two towering sixes by Shabbir, to seal Afghanistan's fate.

Naeem returned unbeaten on 34 and Shabbir smashed 33 not out off 18 balls to clinch victory that will spark wild celebrations in the cricket-mad South Asian nation.

"I had a good talk with Naeen before the 19th over and we went for it," said Shabbir. "Luckily, it came good. There was no pressure on me, but I am sure my team-mates in the dressing room were tense."

Ashraful admitted he had given hope towards the end.

"I was feeling a bit low but then Shabbir came and did the job for us," the Bangladesh captain said. "It is thrilling to be part of a gold medal winning team.

"There was a bit of pressure because Afghanistan is a very good side and this was our first major final."

Afghanistan, a non-Test playing nation, took part in the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean this year and narrowly missed qualifying for the 2011 World Cup.

Naeem had earlier taken two wickets for eight runs from three overs to keep Afghanistan down to a modest total.

Afghanistan were 66-6 by the 13th over, before Mohammad Asghar revived their chances with an unbeaten 38 off 36 balls, sharing a crucial stand of 44 for the seventh wicket with Shabbir Ahmed (25).

Source: Bangladesh win first ever Asian Games cricket gold - GEO.tv