The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Big win for Bangladesh

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Saturday, Jul 17, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Big win for Bangladesh

COLOMBO, JULY 16. A defiant half-century by opener Javed Omar was backed up by some tight bowling as Bangladesh played out a convincing 116-run win over minnow Hong Kong in the first match of the Asia Cup cricket here on Friday.

Put into bat by Hong Kong captain Rahul Sharma, leading his side in its first-ever One-day International, Bangladesh scored 221 runs for nine wickets in its 50 overs. It then took just 46 overs to bowl out Hong Kong for 105 runs.

Omar top-scored for Bangladesh with a patient 68 runs off 94 balls as the Hong Kong bowlers kept a tidy line and length. His innings included four fours and an 84-run stand for the second wicket with skipper Habibul Bashar, who made 32.

Khaled Mashud and Khaled Mahmud contributed 26 and 22 runs respectively. Off-spinner Ilyas Gul (three for 46) was the pick of Sharma's bowlers, while four others picked up a wicket each.

When Hong Kong came out to bat, Bangladesh paceman Mushfiqur Rahman struck in the fourth over, bowling opener Manoj Cheruparambil for a duck.

With the pressure mounting, Hong Kong lost wickets at regular intervals, and its biggest partnership of only 29 runs came between Sher Lama and Gul for the eighth wicket.

Tabarak Dar top-scored for Hong Kong with 20 runs, while both Gul and Lama scored 16.

Bangladeshi left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak did the damage to Hong Kong, taking three wickets for 17 runs in just nine overs. This is Bangladesh's fifth one-day international win in more than 90 appearances. — AP

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