Mahmudullah and Hasan Mahmud star in practice match
Hasan Mahmud starred with the ball for Mahmudullah XI and some substantial contributions from skipper Mahmudullah and Naim Sheikh later saw them get over the line.
In the first 40-over intra-squad practice match ahead of the upcoming series against the West Indies, the side led by Mahmudullah won comfortably against the team skippered by Tamim Iqbal by five wickets at BKSP-3 on Thursday.
Hasan Mahmud starred with the ball for Mahmudullah XI and some substantial contributions from skipper Mahmudullah and Naim Sheikh later saw them get over the line.
Chasing a moderate target of 162, Mahmudullah XI were not off to an ideal start. Opening batsman Yasir Ali got out cheaply to Mustafizur Rahman in the fifth over. Shakib Al Hasan too couldn't make a big score as he got himself run out scoring 9 off 23 balls.
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Naim Sheikh played a few shots and scored a breezy 43 before getting out in the 17th over, with the score being 65 for three. His innings was studded with seven fours. Mahmudullah, who came in at number five, stitched an important 51-run partnership with Mushfiqur Rahim. Although the latter was dismissed in the 29th over, Mahmudullah remained unbeaten on 51 and Mahmudullah XI went past Tamim XI's score with 19 deliveries to spare and five wickets in hand. Mahmudullah struck four boundaries while playing a match-winning knock.
Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan got one wicket apiece.
Earlier, the Tamim-led side put on a rather unimpressive show with the bat. Liton Das departed in the fifth over scoring only 2 off 10 balls. Skipper Tamim Iqbal got a start but failed to convert it as the left hander got out to Hasan Mahmud scoring 28 off 43 deliveries. There were small contributions from Najmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya Sarkar and a cameo of 32-ball-35 from Afif Hossain but Tamim XI did not quite get going. They folded for 161 in 37.2 overs.
Hasan Mahmud was the pick of the bowlers as he picked up four wickets for 21 runs including the important scalps of Tamim and Shanto. Shoriful Islam and Al-Amin Hossain got two wickets each.
The ODI series between the hosts and the West Indies is due to begin on January 20.
Brief scores: Tamim XI 161 all-out (Afif Hossain 35, Tamim Iqbal 28, Najmul Hossain Shanto 27, Hasan Mahmud 4/21, Shoriful Islam 2/27, Al-Amin Hossain 2/32)
Mahmudullah XI 162/5 (Mahmudullah 51*, Naim Sheikh 43, Mushfiqur Rahim 28, Mahedi Hasan 1/16, Nasum Ahmed 1/29, Mohammad Saifuddin 1/29)
Result: Mahmudullah XI won by 5 wickets.
