Tigers look to seal Super 8 spot on Eid day

Bangladeshi cricket fans don't have fond memories of World Cup matches on Eid day. Remember the 2003 World Cup match against Canada? Or the 2019 one against New Zealand? Bangladesh suffered tragic defeat on both occasions, how would anyone forget that!

Another Eid is upon us, and Bangladesh face Nepal in a crucial group-stage match to seal their place in the Super 8 of the ongoing T20 World Cup. 

The match will begin at 5:30 am on Monday (BST) at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St Vincent. 

Bangladesh earlier played against Netherlands at the very same ground on Thursday and sealed a 25-run victory which took them to the second position of the Group D table. South Africa have already qualified from the group. 

Either Bangladesh or Netherlands will secure the second spot after their respective matches on Monday. Even though Bangladesh are in a better position to qualify for the Super 8 with 4 points from 3 matches, Netherlands will keep an eye on the Bangladesh vs Nepal clash and try to beat Sri Lanka in their final match.

Bangladesh will qualify if they win their match against Nepal. But if they somehow lose, as they do on Eid days, and the Netherlands beat Sri Lanka, then NRR will determine who will go through.

"I mean the position we are in we should feel the confidence. There is no reason we shouldn't feel confident. So obviously it will be a very important game. And I hope the way we are contributing as a team, performing as a team, we can do the same thing against Nepal," Shakib Al Hasan, who was adjudged the player of the match against Netherlands, said regarding the Nepal clash.

The match against Nepal is supposed to be dominated by the spinners from both teams at the Arnos Vale Ground. 

Bangladesh sealed their victory on Thursday thanks to a superb spell from leg spinner Rishad Hossain. The leg spinner picked up three crucial wickets to bring Bangladesh back in the match when things seemed to have turned to Netherland's way. 

Nepal came agonisingly close to what could have been their maiden victory over a Test-playing team, thanks to leg spinner Kushal Bhurtel (4/19) and Dipendra Singh Airee (3/21). But South Africa held their nerves and clinched a last-ball thriller to break Nepal's hearts on Saturday.

But it was a moral victory for them as they gave the mighty Proteas a major scare and everyone from the cricket fraternity applauded their heroic performance. 

Their dream of beating a Full Member did not materialise on Saturday but they will have another opportunity when they meet Asian neighbours Bangladesh at the same venue in a couple of days' time.

Nepal captain Rohit Paudel said the fight against South Africa will give them a lot of confidence going into the Bangladesh game.

"I think we are aware of that situation, especially if we won today's game, it would be a very clear knockout game for Bangladesh and our games. So, apart from that, I think the next game we'll play for pride," he said.

"Especially, we wanted to beat a Test playing country. Eventually, it didn't happen today. So, we want to do that in the next game. So, the confidence which today we got, so we want to carry that," Paudel added.

Bangladesh have played Nepal only once before in T20Is. In that 2014 World T20 game in Chattogram, Bangladesh won easily by eight wickets.