Pakistan enters semi finals after clinical victory over Bangladesh
Adelaide(PTI): Pakistan put up a clinical bowling display to beat Bangladesh by five wickets in their high-stake final group match and qualify for the semifinals of the T20 World Cup here on Sunday.
Standing on the verge of an early exit from the tournament after defeats against India and Zimbabwe in the Super 12 stage, Pakistan were handed a lifeline when fancied South Africa were knocked out by Netherlands, who registered a memorable 13-run win at the same venue earlier in the day.
That result not only sealed the semifinal passage for India with a match in hand, but gave Pakistan and Bangladesh a lifeline, in a winner-takes-it-all contest.
Opting to bat, Bangladesh got off to a rollicking start with Najmul Hossain Shanto slamming a counter-attacking 48-ball 54 but lacked failed the final flourish as Pakistan rode on pacer Shaheen Afridi's career-best T20I figures of 4 for 22 to restrict their opponents to a paltry 127 for eight.
It was not a straightforward chase but Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals to find themselves in a tricky position before Shan Masood held his nerves to seal the win with 11 balls to spare.
Mohammad Haris played a crucial 18-ball 31 in the middle after Pakistan lost both their openers -- Babar Azam (25) and Mohammad Rizwan (32) in quick succession.
With seven needed, Haris did a harakiri and was dismissed by Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan. Pakistan lost one more wicket in the form of Iftikhar Ahmed with just two required for win.
Chasing, Pakistan employed a watchful strategy with skipper Babar Azam desperate to get some runs under his belt.
His opening partner Mohammad Rizwan got a reprieve on zero when Bangladesh wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan dropped a dolly in the first over.
The duo held on despite an edgy start and put on 57 runs for the opening wicket.
With no run-rate pressure, it seemed Pakistan were coasting but the contest turned into a nervy one after Nasum Ahmed (1/14) managed to get the breakthrough.
The left-arm spinner, who was brilliant in the Powerplay returned in the 11th over to end Azam's anxious stay. Ebadot Hossain then dismissed Rizwan in the next over.
Pakistan needed 59 off 48 balls as Haris calmed the proceedings smashing Ebadot for a boundary and six.
Earlier, on a difficult pitch, left-handed opener Najmul Hossain Shanto slammed a counter-attacking 48-ball 54 but Bangladesh faltered in the final overs with Pakistani spinners triggering the collapse before Afridi seizing control in a superb haul of 4/22.
Shanto was at his fluent best and pierced the field at ease en route to his second fifty of the tournament.
After the early dismissal of Liton Das, Shanto and Soumya Sarkar (20) shared 72 runs off 47 balls for the second wicket to lay a good platform for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh were easily looking at a 150-plus score when Shadab Khan (2/30) triggered the collapse.
The leg-spinner took two wickets in two balls, including a dubious DRS dismissal of Bangladesh skipper Shakib for a golden duck. Shanto, however, seemed undeterred as he went about his business and completed a 46-ball fifty, his second in the tournament.
But off-spinner Iftikhar outsmarted Shanto, cleaning him up with a slower one.
Iftikhar returned with fine figures of 3-0-15-1 as Babar's ploy to attack with the off-spinner against left-handed Bangladesh batters did the trick.
Afridi then got into the act, dismissing Mosaddek Hossain, Nurul Hasan and Taskin Ahmed in six balls, across two overs.
Haris Rauf looked at his best and returned with 1/21.
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Fake call centre duping foreigners busted in Thane; five detained
Thane (PTI): The Thane police have unearthed a bogus call centre that allegedly cheated foreign nationals, particularly US citizens, under the pretext of selling software, an official said on Wednesday.
Five persons, including the call centre owner, were detained after a raid at the premises in the Ambernath area of Maharashtra's Thane district late Tuesday night, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Ambernath division) Shailesh Kale told PTI.
The bogus facility was operating from a business centre and functioned under the garb of providing software services, the official said.
"The call centre staff targeted foreign nationals, especially Americans. They contacted them on the phone, lured them with offers of software services and extracted money from them in different forms," Kale said.
The police received a tip-off about the illegal operations and raided the premises. The search operation continued till Wednesday morning, he said.
The employees used to make hundreds of calls to foreign nationals daily and would eventually succeed in duping a few of them, Senior Police Inspector Shabbir Sayyed said.
"They collected advance payments from the victims and blocked them after receiving the money," he said, explaining the modus operandi.
The employees were provided with a specific script for conversations to gain the victims' confidence and persuade them to transfer funds, he added.
The police have seized electronic gadgets and other accessories used in the alleged racket from the premises.
A case has been registered against five persons under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act and the Indian Telegraph Act, Kale said.
The police were verifying the victims' credentials and nationality.
