Bangladesh make history with Super League qualification

Pakistan 170 (43.1 overs); Bangladesh 171-6 (34.5 overs). Bangladesh won by four wickets

Bangladesh reached the Super League for the first time in their history on Wednesday and they did it by beating defending champions Pakistan.

A four-wicket win for Mushfiqur Rahim's side took them to the top of Group A with four points and with Pakistan and New Zealand, who both have two points, playing each other in their last match on Friday, the Tigers cannot be displaced from one of the top two positions.

"There has been a bit of pressure on us with `phone calls going back and forth to Bangladesh over the past couple of days so hopefully this will relieve some of it," said coach Allister de Winter afterwards.

"It has been a good day and we played really well but now we need to get through tomorrow (their last group game against Uganda), refocus and look ahead.

"Our target was always the semi-final and that has not changed but if we can get there then we can achieve anything."

Bangladesh's win was founded on superb spin bowling by their quartet of slow left-armers.

They were led by Sakib Al Hasan, whose 4-34 derailed the Pakistan top-order and started the slide from 66-0 to 170 all out.

The other left-arm spinners - Nabil Samad Chowdhury (1-30), Md. Sohrawardi (2-26) and Mehrab Hossain (2-19) - also enjoyed success and between them the quartet tied the Pakistan batsmen in knots.

"Spin is our strength and a major part of our game plan and whether we are playing on a green pitch or a turning surface our bowlers are good enough to adapt," said de Winter.

"They might all be left-armers but they all operate in a different style and they all offer something different."

The quartet were superb on Wednesday as they hauled Bangladesh back into the game after Pakistan got away to a flying start.

Nasir Jamshaid (37) and Ali Khan (20) added 66 in brisk time for the first wicket and they took full toll of Bangladesh's opening bowlers Dollar Mahmud and Kazi Kamrul Islam but the introduction of spin saw the whole picture change.

Seven of Pakistan's batsmen fell to catches which illustrated a degree of carelessness on their part.

"It was disappointing," said Pakistan coach Mansoor Rana. "It was one of the things we discussed that we would look to score 70 or 80 runs before their spinners came on, score at three or four an over for the next 20 overs and score the big runs in the last 15 overs.

"This is an age where the players maybe do make mistakes and it was unfortunate it happened today."

It means Friday is a must-win game for Pakistan if they are going to retain the chance to defend the title they won two years ago, ironically in Bangladesh.

"We have no choice apart from winning it," said Rana. "Hopefully the boys will perform well under pressure."

Despite their batting woes, Pakistan still tested Bangladesh when the time came for the run-chase.

Jamshaid Ahmed (2-53), Anwer Ali Khan (1-30) and Akhtar Ayub (2-42) reduced Bangladesh to 88-4 and 119-5 but captain Mushfiqur Rahim (46) steadied the Tigers' nerves.

"He could bat at three or four because he is our best player but with the pressures of captaining the side and keeping wicket we have him at six and he offers his best value to us there, as he did today," said de Winter.

Apart from Pakistan's openers, the only batsman to pass 20 for the defending champions was Ali Asad who made 38 before he was bowled by Mehrab Hossain.

De Winter said it was likely there would be changes for the match against Uganda as, with the pressure of qualification now released, they could rest some players and give others in the squad some match action.

Rezaul Islam and Ishraq Sonnet, both yet to figure, are expected to be included on Thursday.