Bangladesh have managed to restrict the hosts to 127/9 to secure a 26 runs victory and stay alive in the World Cup.
In response to the 153 posted by Bangladesh, Oman had a flying start scoring 12 in the first over. However, the Fizz dragged Bangladesh back in the game straightaway by removing Aqib Ilyas in his very first legal delivery.
But Oman continued to play with positive intent as they accumulated 47 runs in the powerplay. Mustafiz, coming back into the attack in the last over of the powerplay, claimed his second wicket. He could well have had another one, had Mahmudullah not dropped Jatinder Singh.
Bangladesh managed to tighten things a little bit in the middle overs as Oman were 70/2 after 10 overs.
In the twelfth over, Oman’s skipper Zeeshan Maqsood got removed in Mahedi's over, courtesy of a screamer from Mustafiz who redeemed himself of the missed opportunity earlier in the innings.
Shakib removed well-set Jatinder (40 off 33) in the very next over to have the game tilt towards Bangladesh big time.
Overs sixteen to eighteen have been Bangladesh all over Oman. In the sixteenth over, Saifuddin came back in his second spell and claimed his first wicket of the night. In the following over, Shakib got back to back scalps to have Oman in disarray. Mustafiz picked up another couple in the eighteenth.
Mustafiz has been the chief engineer in the bowling department with his spell of 4/36. Shakib (3/28) has been brilliant once again while Mahedi (1/14) and Saifuddin (1/16) have chipped in with tight economic spells.
Batting first, Bangladesh struggled their way forward to somehow get 153 on the board. Apart from Mohammed Naim (64 off 50) and Shakib Al Hasan (42 off 29), none of the batters really got going. The partnership between these two had Bangladesh at 101/2 in 13.2 overs.
A total of 165/170 looked very gettable at that point. But it all fell apart as wickets kept falling in regular intervals after Shakib got run out. In the end, 153 was all the Tigers could manage.
Bilal Khan and Fayyaz Butt have been instrumental for Oman, picking up three wickets each, in restricting Bangladesh to a modest total.
Shakib Al Hasan has been adjudged the Player of the Match for his all-round performance of 45 runs with the bat and 3/28 with the ball.
