Bangladesh got their T20 World Cup campaign off to a winning start by registering a hard-fought nine-run victory over the Netherlands in Hobart.
Defending a total of just 144-8 at Bellerive Oval, bowler Taskin Ahmed (4-25) set the tone when he removed Vikramjit Singh and Max O’Dowd with the first two balls of Netherlands’ run chase on his way to career-best figures, and he was well supported by Hasan Mahmud (2-15).
A pair of run outs in the field made it a good day for Bangladesh as they got their tournament started with a victory.
Captain Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das are among Bangladesh’s most experienced batters, but the pair managed just 16 runs between them as the Netherlands produced a disciplined bowling effort.
It was left to Afif Hossain to step up, and the young left-hander produced the goods with 38 from 27 deliveries to ensure his team was able to post a competitive total.