Bangladesh survived intense drama and a chaotic final over before pipping Zimbabwe by three runs in a T20 World Cup Group 2 thriller in Brisbane on Sunday.
Electing to bat, the Asian side posted a competitive 150-7, riding Najmul Hossain’s career-best 71 at the Gabba.
Zimbabwe slumped to 35-4 in the powerplay but Sean Williams’s valiant 64 left them needing 16 runs off the final over from Mosaddek Hossain.
Zimbabwe scored 11 runs off the first five deliveries and Blessing Muzarabani was stumped off the sixth, prompting celebration in the Bangladesh camp.
The stumps had been pulled and the players had left, but the TV umpire ruled the last delivery a no-ball as wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan had collected the ball in front of the stumps, not behind, before stumping Muzarabani.
It was a declared a no-ball, but Mosaddek kept his cool and sent down a final delivery which Muzarabani could not connect.
Zimbabwe batter Sean Williams said the way his side’s T20 World Cup game against Bangladesh ended was “extremely weird” and that it had been an “emotional rollercoaster” for his team in the tournament.
The ecstasy of beating former champions Pakistan on Thursday was followed by the agony of losing yesterday’s Super 12 match against Bangladesh despite Williams’ gallant innings of 64.
“It was extremely weird,” Williams told a news conference after the result dealt a blow to their hopes of making the semi-finals.
“Obviously I’ve never experienced something like that in a cricket match before, but again it just goes to show in a T20 game there’s always a little bit of hope - anything can happen.”
“The first time I realised that there was a no-ball was actually when we were walking out to shake the umpire’s hands and they told us to stop and the replay came on the big screen,” Williams said. Zimbabwe, who had their match against South Africa washed out, face the Netherlands and India in their remaining group matches. Williams said it had been an eventful campaign for them so far, including yesterday. “It’s an emotional rollercoaster throughout from the first ball to the last ball. A lot happens and you know there’s a lot of ups and downs and happiness and sadness throughout all of that.”

BRIEF SCORES
Bangladesh 150 for 7 (Shanto 71, Afif 29, Muzarabani 2-13, Ngarava 2-24) beat Zimbabwe 147 for 8 (Williams 64, Burl 27*, Taskin 3-19, Mustafizur 2-19, Mosaddek 2-34) by 3 runs