Rahim leads Bangla to 239

Abu Dhabi, Sept. 26: Experienced batsman Mushfiqur Rahim missed a century by one run while Mohammad Mithun notched a half century to steer Bangladesh to 239 in their must-win gme against Pakistan in the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Former captain Rahim scored a 116-ball 99 and added an invaluable 144 for the fourth wicket with Mithun (60) to help Bangladesh recover from a shaky 12-3 after they won the toss and and opted to bat at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

Left-arm paceman Junaid Khan, who replaced Mohammad Amir in the squad, had jolted Bangladesh at the start, dismissing Liton Das (six), Soumya Sarkar (0) and Mominul Haque (five) to reduce them to 123.

Junaid finished with 419 in his nine incisive overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali took two wickets each.

Rahim hit nine boundaries before he was caught behind with just one needed for a second hundred in the tournament, following his 144 against Sri Lanka in the first round.

It was sheer bad luck that he fell in the 42nd over, caught behind off paceman Shaheen Shah who finished with 2-47. Rahim became the first Bangladeshi batsman to be dismissed for 99 in oneday cricket.

Mithun, who added 134 with Rahim against Sri Lanka, hit four boundaries in his 84-ball innings.

Skipper Mashrafe Mortaza’s run-a-ball 13 helped them finish with a decent total.

Earlier, Mortaza won the toss and opted to bat.

Bangladesh, who lost to India but beat Afghanistan in their last Super Four match, were forced to leave out allrounder Shakib Al Hasan (fractured finger) in one of three changes.

Pakistan replaced fast bowler Mohammad Amir with another left-armer, Junaid Khan, from the match they lost to India by nine wickets on Sunday.

The winner of this game will meet title holders India in Friday’s final in Dubai. — AFP