We knew we could defend this score: Sakib

Bangladesh pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib said that they were confident about defending a meagre total against Nepal in their final group game of the ongoing T20 World Cup in order to secure their spot in the Super Eight. 

Sakib was the hero in the Tigers' 21-run win over Nepal in Kingstown today, finishing with figures of four for seven in four overs to help the Tigers bundle out Nepal for just 85 runs while defending a 107-run target. 

Asked how the discussion went in the dressing room after Nepal had restricted Bangladesh to 106 in 19.3 overs, Sakib said that they knew the task at hand was not beyond them.  

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"We just wanted to keep things simple. We wanted to bowl in good areas and did not want to panic. We knew we could defend this score," Sakib said at the presentation ceremony after Bangladesh made the record of defending the lowest-ever total in a T20 World Cup game.

Sakib, who made the unique record of bowling the most dots -- 21 -- in a T20 World Cup game against Nepal today, also credited his teammates for this win. 

"Everybody bowled well. As a bowling attack, we bowled well and that is why we defended the score," Sakib added. 

Mustafizur Rahman broke a crucial 52-run stand between Kushal Malla and Dipendra Singh Airee and bowled a brilliant penultimate over, bowling a wicket-maiden to get rid of danger-man Dipendra Singh Airee (25 off 31) in the final delivery to sway the momentum back towards the Tigers when Nepal looked threatening.

Bangladesh will be placed in a tough group in the Super Eight, alongside title-contenders India and Australia and a strong Afghanistan side. However, Sakib remianed confident about the next stage of the tournament. 

"We are really excited for the Super Eight. We are very confident about it and hopefully (we can do well)," he said.