BHU vs BHR (5th T20I) – Highlights
Bahrain secured a hard-fought victory against Bhutan in the 5th T20I at Gelephu, edging past the hosts by four wickets in a contest that went down to the final over. The match was defined by bowlers from both sides dominating proceedings, but it was Ali Dawood’s exceptional all-round performance that ultimately separated the two teams. His four-wicket haul restricted Bhutan to a modest total, and his calm presence at the crease in the dying moments ensured Bahrain crossed the finish line with four balls to spare.
BHU struggled right from the outset after being put into bat. The innings began disastrously when opener Namgay Thinley was run out in the first over, followed quickly by the dismissal of Ramesh Limbu for a duck. Although Tshering Tashi and Ranjung Mikyo Dorji tried to stabilize the innings with scores of 17 and 18, respectively, the hosts failed to build any substantial partnerships. The Bahraini bowlers kept a tight leash on the scoring rate, chipping away at the wickets at regular intervals. Middle-order batter Jigme Singye contributed 18 runs, but he lacked support as the innings progressed.
The standout performer with the ball was undoubtedly Ali Dawood, whose medium pace tore through the Bhutanese lower order. He claimed impressive figures of 4 for 13, ensuring that the hosts could not capitalize on the death overs. Tashi Phuntsho provided the only real resistance in the tail, remaining unbeaten on 24 off 29 balls to drag his team past the 100-run mark. However, a flurry of late wickets saw BHU crumble from 86 for 5 to be bowled out for 102 on the final delivery of the innings.
Chasing a seemingly manageable target of 103, BHR endured a nightmare start that brought the home crowd to life. Bhutan’s Tashi Phuntsho delivered a spirited opening spell, ripping through the Bahrain top order. He removed Naveena Shetty, Junaid Aziz, and captain Ahmer Bin Nasir cheaply, leaving the visitors reeling. With the scoreboard reading a precarious 36 for 4, BHR looked in genuine danger of falling short of the target.
However, Sohail Ahmed played a match-winning anchor role, showing immense maturity under pressure. His unbeaten 46 off 43 balls held the innings together as he absorbed the pressure and punished the bad balls. He found a capable partner in Imran Anwar, who contributed a vital 23 runs to steady the ship during the middle overs. Their partnership took the sting out of the Bhutanese attack. Fittingly, Ali Dawood walked out to apply the finishing touches, scoring a brisk unbeaten 12 off 9 balls to guide Bahrain to 105 for 6 in 19.2 overs, sealing a tense victory.
Bhutan vs Bahrain Scoreboard
Bhutan – 102/10 (20)
Bahrain – 105/6 (19.2)
Result – Bahrain won by 4 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)
Player of the Match – Ali Dawood
Ali Dawood
BHU vs BHR Playing XIs
Bhutan | Thinley Jamtsho (c), Namgay Thinley, Ramesh Limbu, Tshering Tashi (wk), Ranjung Mikyo Dorji, Jigme Singye, Tashi Phuntsho, Gakul Ghalley, Tenzin Wangchuk, Tashi Dorji, Sonam Yeshey. |
Bahrain | Ahmer Bin Nasir (c & wk), Asif Ali, Naveena Shetty, Sohail Ahmed, Junaid Aziz, Fiaz Ahmed, Imran Anwar, Ali Dawood, Imran Khan, Asif Javed, Asif Shaikh. |
Disclaimer: The following match highlights are based on the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider these perspectives and form their own conclusions.
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