Dhaka [Bangladesh], July 23 : Jaker Ali, who conjured a Player of the Match performance during the second T20I against Pakistan, which sealed a historic series win for Bangladesh, declared: "I only count match-winning runs. The rest doesn't register with me."
After being reduced to 28/4 in Dhaka, Bangladesh captain Litton Das had to resort to Plan B, which involved assigning Jaker and Mahedi Hasan to proper batting roles. Jaker, promoted to number five, hammered 55 in 48 balls while Mahedi counter-attacked with his 33(25), which propelled Bangladesh to 133 in the first innings. Jaker revealed that he had received a separate plan from his skipper, which offered him clarity on his goal.
"The captain had given me a separate plan after we lost wickets quickly. We had come into the game knowing that the conditions wouldn't allow for a high-scoring match. I thought it was a 155-160 wicket, but the captain told me to go for 140. I think we were seven runs short. If I had hit a six off the last ball, we would have given them that target. I think this is a good approach, where I know my goal," Jaker said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
Jaker played the anchor's role and batted till the end, while Mahedi was the aggressor, slamming two sixes and as many fours. The 27-year-old emphasised the importance of his compatriot's role and felt that if Mahedi stayed till the end, they could have posted a bigger score.
"[Mahedi] played a very important innings. When he started to attack their bowlers, I was playing a supporting role. We could have had a bigger score had he been there till the end," Jaker added.
After Mahedi's dismissal, Jaker had to bat with the tail-enders and farm the strike, something which didn't worry him. He said, "I have always batted at No. 7 since my age-group days, so I know how to bat with the tail. I once added 71 runs with the tail to score a century in the Under-17s. I don't worry too much about batting with the tail. I just try to save the guy at the other end, and get the runs."
"I knew well ahead that I would bat at No. 5. I was mentally prepared. I batted in this position in the West Indies too," he said. "I stuck to my usual routines. I have been working at it for the last two years with our batting coach [Mohammad Salahuddin]. I only count match-winning runs. The rest doesn't register with me," he added.
After Bangladesh clinched its maiden T20I series triumph by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, the Tigers will hope to go for the kill and complete a whitewash on Thursday.
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