Kusal salvo hides seniors' foibles

Sri Lanka's august senior batsmen made 23 collectively, but a 23-year-old's belligerence ensured his team triumphed nonetheless

When a team has three players of the calibre of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan approaching the twilight of their careers, there are bound to be fears about the future. That august trio have nearly 4000 T20I runs between them; against South Africa they made 14, 9 and 0 respectively. That those failures did not extinguish Sri Lanka's chances of victory was largely down to a 23-year-old named Kusal Perera.

If you have heard Kusal's name mentioned without that of Sanath Jayasuriya in close proximity you probably weren't listening hard enough. With his low, southpaw stance and flashing blade, particularly in a wristy ability to clip the ball off his pads, Kusal has an uncanny likeness for the man who is now Sri Lanka's chairman of selectors. Jayasuriya built his reputation with a series of dashing assaults as opener during the 1996 World Cup and Sri Lanka will believe that Kusal can have a similar catalytic effect at this tournament.

T20 continues to push back the limits of the possible in cricket, as anyone who has seen the scorecard from Friday's afternoon match in Sylhet - let alone the shots played by Netherlands' batsmen - would know. This was a more sedate affair, despite the tension at the end, but still it showed how the world has changed, from Kusal's early assault to Albie Morkel's brief dalliance with seeing South Africa home.

Coming into this match, after 11 innings, Perera's T20 strike rate was a touch under 130 - coincidentally, almost the same as Jayasuriya's when he retired (eventually) in 2011. Jayasuriya may have been ahead of his time as a batsman, but that does not mean time won't eventually catch up. Of players to face 500 balls in T20 internationals (Jayasuriya faced 487 despite being indelibly linked to the expansion of one-day cricket a decade or so before) 14 currently score at above 130 per 100 balls, led by Yuvraj Singh at 152.72. Kusal seems likely to join them.

The beefy silhouettes of Chris Gayle, Shane Watson and Aaron Finch tower over the World T20 but power comes in different guises. Kusal and, during South Africa's innings, Quinton de Kock showed that you've got to look out for the little guys as well.

The opening over of the match contained most of the ingredients used to spruik the tournament as a non-stop feast for the senses. Dale Steyn, a man who has razed small towns with a 145kph swinging ball, was slapped for two fours and a six - flicked over deep midwicket from outside off - by Kusal, three impudent blows that mocked the senior man.

Steyn bowled wides on both sides, perhaps a little peeved at being buttonholed like this so early on, having only passed a fitness test on the morning of the game. Then Kusal took a single. Dilshan, also coming back from recent injury, is perhaps at the age where he hopes for a little time to limber up before he gets going. Instead he got ripper that clattered through him and into the top of off. Zing went the bails - they really do look good from the stands - and Steyn's figures read 1-0-17-1 (2w)

	"I think he's got a bright future ahead. For many years to come he'll be a dangerous player to bowl to" AB de Villiers on Kusal Perera

While South Africa worked out what to do with Kusal, they attempted to mitigate the damage he was causing by keeping him off strike. Having faced 16 of the first 24 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes, he was given only 24 of the next 57. Steyn came back - Steyn always comes back - and tested him against the short ball, a top edge landing safely between the bowler and mid-on. Irman Tahir worked further on his patience by pushing his top-spin through wider and Kusal succumbed.

"I think he's got a bright future ahead. I'm not sure how old he is, but for many years to come he'll be a dangerous player to bowl to," South Africa's stand-in captain, AB de Villiers, said afterwards. "I thought he played really well, put us under pressure from the word go, probably caught Dale by surprise with the first couple of balls, going after him. I don't think Dale expected that but he recovered really well after."

The short ball had hinted at a vulnerability and Sri Lanka reported afterwards that Kusal had suffered a blow to the head which required hospital treatment for concussion. But, just as he did last month during a T20 against Bangladesh on the same ground, Kusal had laid the platform for victory. Sri Lanka have played plenty of cricket in this country over the last few weeks and navigated their way around the terrain a little better than South Africa.

Spin proved a little more influential than had been expected, with Sachithra Senanayake and Tahir the most successful bowlers, as pace on the ball merely seemed to help it off the bat. Sri Lanka's seamers, having been able to size up the pitch from the dressing room, shortened their lengths accordingly - with the exception of Lasith Malinga who dealt with another punkish assault from de Kock with a low-slung yorker and proved himself just too difficult to put away until the final ball, with the match already won.

Ahead of the game, Sri Lanka's captain, Dinesh Chandimal, was under orders not to talk about the impending retirements of Sangakkara and Jayawardene. Afterwards, thanks to Kusal, nobody was.

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'We lost momentum at the death' - de Villiers

'Conceded 15 runs too many' - de Villiers

With five overs to go in their opening match at the World T20, South Africa were 115 for 3, needing another 51 runs to win. At the same stage of their innings, Sri Lanka had been 117 for 4. That South Africa failed to get over the line owed something to Sri Lanka's wicket-taking ability and something to a familiar failing of nerve by the chasing side.

Sachithra Senanayake had delivered a tight spell and he capped it by having the set batsman, JP Duminy, caught on the boundary in the 16th over. The lurking threat of Lasith Malinga, who still had two overs to bowl, was perhaps the reason that Albie Morkel tried - and failed - to hit a third consecutive six over long-on against Ajantha Mendis in the 17th. Although the required rate continued to hover around ten an over, South Africa were now five down and the incoming batsman would find he had been left with too much to do.

AB de Villiers, captaining the side in place of the injured Faf du Plessis, said that the plan had been to make sure that no more than eight runs were required off the final over, knowing that Malinga would bowl it. They were left needing 15 and Imran Tahir's six off the last ball perhaps made the result seem closer than it had been.

"There were two areas where we lost the game," de Villiers said. "They certainly got 15 too many, we were very poor in the field. They ran twos on way too many occasions. Too many extras and we've been guilty of that in the past, so something we have to work on and have to get right if we're going to do well in this tournament.

"Then we lost wickets at bad times, I got out at a bad time. When it gets close like that and it's a crunch game, you lose wickets at the wrong time and you lose the game. We lost our momentum towards the end, we needed to get it down to no more than eight off Malinga's last over because he's a really good death bowler, we couldn't do that. Unfortunately we were just not good enough on the day, I thought we were nowhere near 100 percent and that's the disappointing part. I don't mind losing games if we play at 100 percent but we just weren't good enough today."

South Africa have been reluctant to move de Villiers up the order, despite calls for him to be given more time to affect the course of matches, but the dismissal of Quinton de Kock, a left-hander, meant JP Duminy was preferred. De Villiers reiterated the view that his skills were more required in the middle overs.

"With Sri Lanka's spinners, we felt it was important to keep that right-left combination at the crease, so when Quinton de Kock got out we thought it was the best option for us to send JP in, to keep them guessing," de Villiers said. "That's why if Hash got out, I would have gone in, just to keep them on their toes. But we feel it's important with the good spinners."

As it transpired, Amla struggled for fluency and after eight overs South Africa were 47 for 1, with the pressure beginning to rise. Duminy tucked into Thisara Perera and Mendis to help add 28 more by the halfway stage and, with de Villiers alongside him, South Africa appeared to be edging back into the contest, only for both to fall trying to force the pace. De Villiers said going after Mendis had been premeditated but his dismissal of Albie effectively ended the chase.

"It was touch and go. It could have been a six but that's the game, that's the nature of Twenty20 cricket again," de Villiers said. "One inch further and it's a six, that's how it goes. He didn't hit it in the middle - I think it comes down to execution. I think he knows he probably could have hit it better. That's how it goes sometimes, you can't blame one player. I thought we batted quite well for most of the night and unfortunately got out with that fifty-fifty chance going to hand and not over the boundary."

Losing to Sri Lanka, ranked the No. 1 side in the format, need not be terminal for South Africa's semi-final chances and they can take some encouragement from a narrow defeat. Dale Steyn recovered from his first over being hit for 17 to bowl with familiar precision and hostility on his return from injury, while de Kock and Duminy hinted at what the batting may be able to produce. Sri Lanka had raced out of the blocks thanks to Kusal Perera's sparkling innings but de Villiers said Imran Tahir "turned the game around for us" with his 3 for 26.

De Villiers was also hopeful that Faf du Plessis would return to take charge of South Africa's second game, against New Zealand on Monday.

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Raj braces for opener challenge

Mithali Raj has been carrying India's batting for years and the veteran batsman and captain has set herself a new challenge going into the Women's World Twenty20 in Bangladesh. Having batted at No 3 or 4 for most of her career, Raj will open India's innings in the tournament, practising the strategy that the side's best batsman should get the most deliveries in limited-overs formats. While it is an opportunity for her to provide impetus to the team upfront in a world event, Raj also sees it as something of a personal challenge, an attempt to prosper in a format which hasn't exactly been her preferred one.

"I have worked hard on this and would like to give the team good starts," Raj said. "Opening is challenging. I want to challenge myself. Initially when T20 started I never really liked it. But I have come prepared, and have worked mentally very hard to get attuned to this format. I want to rate myself as a T20 player. I want to prove that to myself. I have tried it against Sri Lanka and it has worked."

Raj made 42 and 53 at the top of the order in the warm-up matches against Ireland and New Zealand but she knows too much cannot be read into those scores. And while she may be coming in at the start of the fielding restrictions, she is unlikely to abandon her favoured cover drive for a switch-hit anytime soon.

"My form has been good but I am not getting complacent," she said. "There is a big difference between the warm-ups and the main event. I will play to my strengths. I won't adapt to the extent where you have to make a 360-degree change."

Raj's promotion means the middle order will be marshaled by the capable duo of one-day opener Poonam Raut and vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur, and the captain was pleased that both had hit some form in the practice matches.

"It is good to see them get some runs. It is good that there are a couple of players ready to take responsibility in the middle order," Raj said. "I know that they are always there after me in case I fail to give the start the team wants."

Barring a few of her players striking form, Raj refused to attach any more importance to the warm-ups.

"I don't consider the warm-ups as benchmarks," she said. "They were of course helpful for the girls to get used to the surroundings and the atmosphere. We have two-three new spinners, and it was also a chance for me to gauge them."

The tournament is being staged in the subcontinent, in conditions that India can ideally claim familiarity with. Raj did not think this was the case, at least going by the surfaces she had witnessed for the practice games, which she felt were hard and not quite turners.

At the last world event they played in - the Women's World Cup 2013 in India - the hosts crashed out of the first round with losses to England and Sri Lanka. India find themselves with the same teams at the World T20, in Group B which also has West Indies and Bangladesh. Raj admitted the team faced the pressure of playing a World Cup, but she intended to go in with a clear mind regardless of last year's results.

"We won't carry the past here, that is for sure. (But) irrespective of where the World Cup is played, the pressure is always there," Raj said. "No matter how many world events you have played in, it is always going into a fresh one. Don't think it decreases because you are away from home. The event itself carries huge pressure. Everyone expects you to do well."

India will begin their campaign against Sri Lanka on March 24 in Sylhet.

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Broad aggrieved over lightning call

Average decision-making from umpires - Broad

Stuart Broad did his best to hide his anger after a decision by the umpires on when to take the players off in England's World T20 opener led to defeat against New Zealand via the Duckworth-Lewis method.

With Broad bowling to Brendon McCullum and lightning visible in the sky, the umpires waited until the arrival of rain before calling a halt, crucially allowing proceedings to reach the five-over mark required to constitute a game.

Broad said England could "feel aggrieved" to have lost and suggested the players should have come off the field at the first sign of lightning in the interests of safety. He criticised the decision-making by Aleem Dar and Paul Reiffel, the on-field umpires, but stopped short of saying England would lodge an official complaint.

"To be as polite as I possibly can be I think it was distinctly average decision-making keeping us on after the first lightning strike at the start of the fifth over, keeping us on throughout that," Broad said. "That over has obviously given us a loss.

"I asked the umpires for a bit of clarity on the decision-making at the end of the game and they said they didn't see the lightning and didn't think it was a threat. You can guarantee from our team we felt like it was a threat and with a batsman pulling away from a delivery after 4.2 overs I think the batsman saw it as well.

"At the end of the day it's a game of cricket so I wouldn't be putting the crowd and players' safety under threat."

McCullum pulled away as a flash of lightning lit up the sky with Broad running in to deliver the fifth ball of the fifth over. At that point, New Zealand were level on D/L, although two more deliveries needed to be bowled before it could come into effect. Broad's fifth ball was a dot but McCullum thumped the next for six. After 5.2 overs, with rain falling, Dar and Reiffel decided to call a halt.

Broad and McCullum were to be seen in apparently amicable discussion as the teams went off at the start of a heavy downpour. Broad said there were "four or five" lightning strikes while the players were out in the middle and that he and McCullum, the New Zealand captain, had discussed leading the players off themselves. "It's not sour grapes because I think both sides were uncomfortable being out there in such heavy lightning being around," he said.

The initial rainfall lasted around 20 minutes before appearing to blow over. But, with the umpires due to make an inspection, further rain arrived, causing the match to be abandoned at around 11pm local time.

"I think you should have an umpire in here for some clarity to be honest," Broad said. "There are some questions that need asking to the ICC. I mean it's all very well wanting to finish a game so you can tick a box, etc, but players' health and safety and actually crowd safety is very important and that to me felt like very threatening lightning."

New Zealand bowler Kyle Mills said that the right decision had been made to take the players off, although he felt the timing was a matter for debate. He said that McCullum, who hit 16 off six balls, had "summed up the situation pretty well" to make sure his team were ahead of the D/L par score.

"If Stuart was on the other end of it, he would be more than happy with the decision," Mills said. "In cricket you win some and you lose some, the umpires are trying to make the decisions to the best of their ability. They want to get a full game of cricket on, a judgement call as they see it, and it just so happened that we got another over in the game."

Two of England's previous World T20 campaigns have featured similar defeats. In the Caribbean four years ago, England lost to West Indies after rain reduced their target to 60 in fives overs and then their second match in the first group stage, against Ireland, was washed out. They squeezed through on net run rate before embarking on a five-match unbeaten run to the title. In 2009, when England hosted the tournament, they were effectively knocked out after losing another rain-affected game against West Indies at The Oval.

New Zealand had been set a target of 173 to win after England made the highest total on the ground in the tournament so far, despite no one scoring more than Moeen Ali's 36. Defeat leaves England possibly needing to win all three of their remaining games to reach the semi-finals. They are not in action again until Thursday, when they will take on Sri Lanka, who beat South Africa in the afternoon game on Saturday.

"Nothing we can do about it now, we just have to win our next three games, simple as that," Broad said. "The way we played tonight there's every possibility we can do that. We're still lacking that one player to go on and get a big 60 or 70 but we've got some guys firing and that's a good thing.

"The World Cup we won in 2010 we lost on D/L in the first game, scraped through against Ireland then we won our next five games to win the competition. We have to have the belief that can happen again."

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Main course goes cold as Pakistan falter

After Ireland and Netherlands served up a run-fest in what was meant to be an appetiser to the big clash of the day, Pakistan's batsmen failed to get out of second gear in a disappointing defeat to India

Crowe: Pakistan looked unsettled from the start

It was unfair to expect Pakistan to match what Netherlands did 272km northeast of Shere Bangla National Stadium. But the batting performance that came an hour or so after the six-binge at the Sylhet Stadium was a damp squib even in absolute terms.

Andrew Poynter, Kevin O'Brien, Stephen Myburgh and Tom Cooper concocted the perfect appetizer ahead of an India-Pakistan game, but despite the plethora of stroke-players in both sides, the main course only had six sixes after those 30 big ones in the Ireland-Netherlands game. Boredom seeped into the Mirpur crowd as they went for the Mexican Wave as early as the sixth over of the Pakistan innings.

Pakistan were underwhelming from the start, never threatening India with a spell of batting at any stage. They were restricted to 130 for 7, a below-par total by any standard. They wouldn't have been expected to defend the total too, having defended a total below 130 only once in Twenty20s - against Sri Lanka in Hambantota two years ago.

But the biggest disappointment was their batting as a whole, which was built through four poor clusters. Mohammad Hafeez picked out the Kamran Akmal run-out as the reason for the poor start but Ahmed Shehzad and the captain himself failed to force the issue in the first six overs.

Pakistan made 34 runs in the Powerplay, after which they lost the way further by losing two more wickets and adding just 16 more runs till the 10-over mark. From 50 for 3, Pakistan still had hopes from the remaining batsmen, particularly the pair in the middle - Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik - who were steadying the ship and slightly threatening. But as it happened, the danger was minimal for India.

"You have to set the tone right from the start," Hafeez said. "But unfortunately one run out at the start of the innings and the pitch - the ball was not coming on to the bat and there was some spongy bounce in it. That's the reason we couldn't get that total in the first 10 overs.

"But still I believe that partnership between Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik gave us some hope that we can score 150 on this track. But those three overs after the 15th, we couldn't get the momentum right and we couldn't get that total."

In the three-over period after the 15th, Pakistan added just eight runs and lost two wickets, enough to derail them. Sohaib Maqsood tried a few angles and was briefly successful, hitting two fours and a six, but that was the only six of the innings, and it was never going to be enough in the last few overs.

In the Powerplay overs, Pakistan's average RPO is 6.95, and in the next two slots, from the seventh to the tenth over and from the eleventh to the fifteenth, they usually score at 6.70 and 8.29 per over respectively. They batted below par in those three slots, and finally in the last five, they were 34 for 4, as opposed to the 8.71 they usually get in this time.

Hafeez said the wicket wasn't good enough to have a target in mind, but bemoaned the lack of one big score. Akmal made 33, the highest score in the innings.

"In a match like this, you need one big knock which unfortunately we didn't get this time," Hafeez said. "But still, these conditions - the ball turning - that is more suited to us against Australia and the other teams and our batting must play its role, there is no doubt about that."

As far as the opening match of the Super 10s is concerned, this was below-par. Pakistan, having always had the tag of being one of the favourites in World T20s, have to turn up with a better plan next time.

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ICC rules out changes to ODI rules before World Cup

The amendments to the ODI playing conditions introduced in October 2011 will stay in place till next year's World Cup, the ICC has said. The amendments include the use of two new balls, which has been opposed by India and other south Asian countries as it affects spinners.

ICC chief executive Dave Richardson has said the regulations will be reviewed after the marquee event, to be hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand. India has been the flag-bearer of the subcontinental countries' movement against the new rules, which at times have resulted in the balance of the game tilting heavily in favour of the batsmen.

"We're not going to consider any changes prior to the World Cup," Richardson said in Dhaka on Friday. "After the World Cup the rules will be reviewed by the cricket committee again. As I said, we wanted to create a more attacking 50-over game, one that could compete on the entertainment scales with T20 cricket. It's too early to say. I think it's led to a more attacking game from a bowling and fielding perspective."

The BCCI, who had consistently raised the matter during ICC Board meetings over the last year, said they couldn't do anything till the World Cup but stuck to their stand. "There is a need to review is what India has been saying and there should be a fair contest between bat and ball which isn't the case now," a BCCI insider told ESPNcricinfo.

In fact, the BCCI's attempt to get the system overhauled was foiled in an ICC Chief Executives' meeting in September 2013. "There was a voting process and India along with Pakistan, Bangladesh voted against use of two new balls," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel had said after the meeting. "Australia, New Zealand, England and Zimbabwe were among those in favour of using two new balls while West Indies and South Africa abstained from voting. We have expressed our reservations about using of two new balls."

According to the new regulations that came in place in October 2011, two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle in the mandatory Powerplay of ten overs, and three during the batting Powerplay, which needs to be taken between the 16th and the 40th over. At other times, a maximum of four fielders can be placed outside the circle, a reduction from the earlier five. Most importantly, two new balls are used from each end.

The use of two new balls has resulted in the spinners finding it difficult to get into the game. Besides, in subcontinental conditions, reverse swing is also almost taken out of equation, thus resulting in the totals moving upwards with every passing series. In fact, India captain MS Dhoni said during the high-scoring ODI series against Australia last year that the new rules had converted bowlers into "bowling machines".

"Yes, runs per over might have increased and bowlers, at times on flat wickets, find it very tough," Richardson said. "But essentially the best bowlers are still top of the bowling rankings and the best batsmen still top of the batting rankings.

"We just might need to change our perceptions. In the old days, if you scored a run a ball everyone said you had a tremendous strike-rate. Now they're saying you have to be 120-130. Same with the bowlers. In the old days, Fanie de Villiers got upset if he went for more than three runs per over. Now, bowlers only get upset when they go for more than six runs an over. Yes, things have changed. But I don't necessarily think for the bad."

Another BCCI functionary agreed that "too many changes just before the World Cup won't be good" but stressed that the BCCI will continue to strive for getting the balance of ODIs back in place after the World Cup.

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Competition wide open - McCullum

If Brendon McCullum had a dollar for every time New Zealand are referred to as the dark horses at a global tournament, he would still not have as much as the $750,000 Corey Anderson was bought for in last month's IPL auction.

New Zealand face England on Saturday evening in the second Group 1 match and the teams' recent experiences could not be further apart. While New Zealand went through the southern summer winning both of their home Test series as well as beating India in ODIs and reigning World T20 champions West Indies in the shortest format, England suffered on a horrendous tour of Australia and then achieved mixed results in the Caribbean.

Another gap between the sides could be the relative power of each batting line-up. England are perceived to be a little light on rope-clearing fortitude - Stuart Broad talked about the importance of "skilful placement" on Friday - but in McCullum New Zealand have the leading run-scorer in T20 internationals. Then there is Anderson, who was bought by Mumbai Indians after scoring the fastest-ever one-day century, off 36 balls, in January. His highest T20 score for New Zealand is just 18 but an ODI strike rate of 159.39 is indicative of what he can do.

Even when such things are taken into account, teams are wary of making predictions. In the last two days along, Netherlands and Hong Kong have ably demonstrated the potential for upset at the World T20. Spin had been expected to determine the fate of most teams but a quicker, skiddy Chittagong surface is also forcing people to re-evaluate expectations.

"England are a huge challenge," McCullum said. "This competition is so wide open, it's hard to get a read on form lines, who's going to be the most dangerous team. We've been through some preparation and scouting, fine-tuning our plans and it's a matter of executing them against a very good England team initially.

"It's really important that we adapt to the conditions quickly. These conditions in Bangladesh will probably suit both us and England, more so than the subcontinent teams. If we start well we can get some confidence and build some momentum as the tournament goes on.

England have been training with wet balls to try and prepare for the possibility of dew affecting evening games and McCullum agreed that could be another key factor. "I don't anticipate spin will play a great role from the point of seeing the ball turn and bounce past the bat," he said. "Good spinners still manage to play a vital role in T20 cricket but it just won't be quite the same role that we'll see up the road in Dhaka."

Kane Williamson, more of a strokeplayer than a slugger, will open the batting but the presence of Martin Guptill alongside him, followed by McCullum and Ross Taylor, gives New Zealand plenty of firepower; in their most recent warm-up match, they fell just short of chasing 200 against Australia. Anderson could be the wrecking ball that elevates them into the bracket of title contenders.

"He is an incredible talent," McCullum said. "The hundred he got against West Indies was sublime hitting from ball one. He is one of those guys who when he does get himself in, he wins a game pretty quickly.

"Jimmy Neesham is another one who can be pretty exciting and those two balance your team quite nicely. But they have not played a great deal of cricket on the big stage, so it's going to be a challenge for them and hopefully we sit back in three weeks' time and say that not just New Zealand but those guys in particular really stood up and grabbed the opportunity at this World T20."

Asked about New Zealand's overall chances, McCullum said he believed winning the 2015 World Cup in home conditions was a more realistic prospect. Beating England and getting a fast start in a group that also contains the No. 1 side, Sri Lanka, as well as South Africa and Netherlands, would be the starting point in changing his mind.

"We've got the personnel and if we get it right early and get the some momentum going and nail our gameplan the way we want to, then I think we can be dangerous. But we've got to make sure we're right on top because these conditions will be quite challenging and the nature of the game as well, you're going to need a bit of luck. Hopefully luck favours us this time."

Two years ago, New Zealand lost to England during a disappointing World T20 campaign, as they entered a turbulent period in which McCullum took over the captaincy from Taylor in acrimonious circumstances. England's position now is not dissimilar and they will be hoping for a similar swing in fortunes. McCullum will be aiming to ensure it doesn't begin yet.

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Diffident Pakistan extend horror streak

For the umpteenth time in world tournaments, nervy Pakistan side lost to an Indian team playing with clarity of purpose

'Happy to contribute in a win' - Mishra

There was a time, back in the '90s, when India used to go down to Pakistan just because they were playing Pakistan. They would just not be able to play their game. Just the fact that Pakistan were their opponents was enough to prevent them from converting years of practice into performance on the field. That has not happened in a while. India, for most of the last decade, have played Pakistan like they would any other opposition.

India-Pakistan contests in world tournaments, though, have always brought out the '90s Indian team in Pakistan. Nothing seemed to have changed in Mirpur. They were diffident against India in Colombo two years ago, they were diffident today. They had managed 128 that night, they made 131 tonight. Both times, the tone for the game was set by their captain.

Mohammad Hafeez had pottered to 15 off 28 in Colombo at the top of the order; he made 15 off 22 in Dhaka at No. 3 following the madcap run-out that cost Pakistan their first wicket. Consciously or subconsciously, the approach of the captain often mirrors that of the entire side.

Pakistan have now failed to beat India in nine World Cup encounters - five defeats in the 50-over World Cup, four in the World T20. When asked the inevitable question about this infamous record, Hafeez did not think it had played on Pakistan's minds.

"Not really. It's getting into history now. Whatever has happened has happened," Hafeez said. "We tried our best but unfortunately we could not bring the result we wanted to... You can say whatever you want but my personal belief is that we don't think that it is a World Cup, that we can't beat India. We don't go out with that thought because the things were very positive. We unfortunately couldn't break this streak but next time we will try our best."

On the other hand, India were confident enough to play three spinners - one of those strategies for which captains are praised to the skies if it works and crucified if it doesn't. One of those spinners was playing only his second T20 international, having travelled around the world with the team, confined to the bench all along.

Buoyed by the captain's confidence in him for such a crunch game, Amit Mishra was then brave enough to do what is probably one of the hardest things to do in the game - for a legspinner to consistently flight the ball in a T20 game, that too against the archrivals in a world championship. Yes, the pitch was an ally with turn and bounce, but to first contemplate doing that, and to then pull it off with such control requires some nerve. Mishra said MS Dhoni had come up to him before the game and told him to stick to what he is known for, which is to toss it up and spin it, instead of getting worked up about the magnitude of the occasion.

"MS came to me and said you don't think too much, you do just what is your strength," Mishra said. "My strength is to spin the ball and I beat the batsman by giving it some flight. I did the same. I had their opener stumped. I dismissed Shoaib Malik. You gain a lot from such small tips. The way MS Dhoni keeps telling me it helps in such a pressure game. My strength is to spin and flight the ball. This is what has worked for me, so I look to work on it and improve.

"I always think about the short format that whenever you think to stop the runs, you cannot stop the runs. You always think about taking the wickets, how to take the wickets and keep the pressure on the opponent's side. This is working for me so I am doing it."

It was clear cricketing logic. It was brave, of course, but it was logical. It is what Mishra and Dhoni and India were able to plan and execute. They were able to do it because the thought of what opposition they were up against was not on their minds. The same couldn't be said of Pakistan.

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Bangladesh chastened after scare

The hosts are into the Super 10s, but it was with a whimper as they suffered embarrassment at the hands of Hong Kong after an awful display with the bat

In 1981 when Norway shocked England in a football World Cup qualifier, so excited was the late Norwegian commentator Bjørge Lillelien that he beckoned four British prime ministers, an admiral, a press baron, a boxer and a member of the Royal family in a famous outburst.

Hong Kong does not have a famous cricket commentator, nor cricketers. But they have handed Bangladesh an objective lesson in how not to be overconfident after crushing two Associate nations.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, like he has done a few times in the past, took a bit of the blame when clearly he was not the only one who played a shocking shot or showed a shocking attitude. Tamim Iqbal did not necessarily have to chop a ball homing in on off stump, neither was Shakib Al Hasan was required to slog one right into deep midwicket's throat when Bangladesh were batting well on 85 for 3.

Anamul Haque had struck three boundaries in a row but got out trying to play another attacking shot off the next ball. But Mushfiqur did not mention him, nor held Tamim or Shakib responsible.

"I don't think they were too attacking," Mushfiqur said. "Tamim missed the line of the ball while trying to play a defensive shot. Shakib was the only set batsman in that wicket and he had the responsibility to not just keep the batting in shape but put up a competitive score.

"So in that sense, he was playing well and nobody was supporting him that well. He played a good shot but it went to the fielder. I could have waited to play my shot for two or three overs. But I never expected the collapse that came after me. I was telling them in the dugout that we need a partnership in the late order. It is really disappointing because there is a way to get out. I think they are trying, but they should do it a little more willingly."

The full impact of the collapse was 7 for 23 in 5.5 overs. Bangladesh crashed from 85 for 3 in the eleventh over to be bowled out for 108 in the 17th. Mushfiqur laid the blame for the defeat on the collapse, but said Nasir Hossain was unlucky to have Al-Amin Hossain as a partner in the last five overs and suggested Farhad Reza will be dropped in the next game.

"Nasir hasn't been performing up to his potential but he didn't have a batsman at the other end to support him at that stage. He could have batted naturally in the last three or four overs. He was having problem timing the ball so he was unlucky. The full blame is on the top and middle-order.

"The team management thought that it would be better to pick the extra seamer in an evening game. Unfortunately he didn't perform tonight and in the last few matches. Hopefully we will have a different combination in Dhaka where there will be different conditions."

Mushfiqur still had hopes of a turnaround in the Super 10s, to which they qualified quietly in the 14th over of the Hong Kong's innings.

"This is a very bad feeling, whether we make it to the Super 10 or not," he said. "I could never expect such a poor batting performance from our team. But having said that, anything can happen in T20s, so I would say that we have a chance against all four big teams. If we play to our potential, we can win any day."

That day however wasn't Thursday. With Lillelien's spirit hovering somewhere over the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury media centre, moments after little-known Haseeb Amjad took a six off accomplished left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak to win Hong Kong the game, who could almost hear a version of the famous line 33 years ago.

"We are the best in the world! We are the best in the world! We have beaten Bangladesh by two wickets in cricket!! It is completely unbelievable! We have beaten Bangladesh! Bangladesh, birthplace of minnows. Akram Khan, Aminul Islam, Minhajul Abedin, Naimur Rahman, Habibul Bashar, Mohammad Ashraful, Salma Khatun - we have beaten them all. We have beaten them all."

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Great to knock off a Test nation - Atkinson

Jamie Atkinson, Hong Kong's captain, said that his side's victory over hosts Bangladesh in front of a packed house at the World T20 was a significant moment for Associate cricket as well as a dream come true for his own team.

Hong Kong had lost both their previous games and, going into the match, Atkinson said it would be one of the greatest upsets at a global tournament if they were to win. The pressure of playing in front of big crowds and a worldwide TV audience had inhibited their performances against Nepal and Afghanistan but, in the biggest game of their careers, they held their nerve for a two-wicket win that was celebrated on the Hong Kong bench to almost total silence in the stadium.

While Hong Kong remained bottom of the group despite victory and Bangladesh held on to top spot and a berth in the Super 10 stage, much else had changed. The last side to qualify for the tournament, apparently the weakest after two poor displays, had scalped a Test-playing nation and joined the likes of Kenya, Ireland, Netherlands and Bangladesh themselves in the category of giant-killers.

"We're just absolutely over the moon, to beat Bangladesh in their home ground in front of a very big crowd is just fantastic, it's the sort of stuff the Associate teams dream of and I'm just really proud of how all of our players performed today and got us through in the end," Atkinson said.

Hong Kong could have eliminated Bangladesh at the expense of Nepal by winning inside 13.1 overs but Atkinson said they "didn't have any thought" about trying to do so. "We just wanted to concentrate on our own game, we wanted to pick up a win for Hong Kong because we always knew it was going to be tough against a strong Bangladeshi side, particularly playing at home as well, so we wanted to concentrate on getting the runs.

"I think it's another significant victory for Associate cricket, it shows that the gap is beginning to close and it shows how far Associate cricket has come as well. It's a big win and it's always great when some of the lower-ranked sides can knock off a Test nation."

While Bangladesh were guilty of reckless batting, the noise that greeted their early run-scoring came in crashing waves. Tanwir Afzal had taken two wickets in the opening over before Anamul Haque and Shakib Al Hasan appeared to have righted the innings during a 48-run stand but a full-scale implosion was to come, Bangladesh dismissed for 108 with 21 deliveries unused. Given how Hong Kong had wobbled previously, particularly in the field, their response to a situation of much greater intensity was impressive.

"We told them throughout the game that there was likely to be quite a bit of noise when Bangladesh were scoring boundaries and just to concentrate on our own game and enjoy the atmosphere because there's not many times that we'll have the opportunity to play in front of such a big crowd," Atkinson said.

"They were very attacking and our bowlers responded really well. It would have been easy to fade under the pressure of the Bangladeshi batsmen but the bowlers performed very well, managed to pick up a few dots balls here and there and that's what put pressure on the batsmen. They went for quite a few big shots and that brought about their downfall. It was fantastic how we clawed it back."

In the circumstances, a straightforward march to victory was never likely to materialise and Atkinson admitted the usual superstitions had taken hold on the Hong Kong bench as they edged closer to victory.

"We definitely made it difficult for ourselves, we got off to a decent start being 30-odd for one and then lost a couple of wickets so at 50 for 5 it was looking a bit more in the balance. But the lower order got us through, Munir Dar played a fantastic hand and then the two bowlers Nadeem and Haseeb played very sensibly at the end and got us through. It was very nervous for us in the dugout, people staying in the same seats, that sort of thing."

Munir was Hong Kong's leading wicket-taker at the World T20 Qualifier last year but he has since been banned from bowling due to his action. He was retained in the squad because of his ability with the bat and could still offer advice to fellow left-arm spinner Nadeem Ahmed, who credited one of his four wickets to his 40-year-old team-mate.

"He gave me advice on the last wicket I got," Nadeem said. "I was having a mid-on up and he said keep mid-on back and bring midwicket up and that's where I got another wicket... That wicket is for him."

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