T20 World Cup 2024: Stats Review, Lowest total defended in T20 World Cups and other stats from Bangladesh vs Nepal

Bangladesh completed a fairly comprehensive win over Nepal at the Arnos Vale Cricket Ground in Kingstown to confirm their slot in the Super 8s of the ongoing T20 World Cup. Alongside qualifying for the Super 8s, Bangladesh have also secured automatic qualification for the 2026 edition of the tournament. 

Nepal put Bangladesh in first and it seemed like the decision had paid dividends. Sompal Kami (2 for 10) removed Tanzid Hasan on the first ball of the match and Bangladesh had lost 4 wickets in the powerplay. Captain Rohit Paudel (2 for 20), Deependra Singh Airee (2 for 22) and Sandeep Lamichhane (2 for 17) all played their part as Bangladesh were bowled out for just 106. Shakib Al Hasan (17 off 22) was Bangladesh's highest scorer and it looked like Nepal might run away with the match. 

Bangladesh came into the game ready to fight for their total and had Nepal on the mat courtesy Tanzim Hasan Sakib (4 for 7) who took four of the first five wickets to fall. Nepal lost five wickets in the first seven overs of the chase. Kushal Malla (27 off 40) and Deependra Singh Airee (25 off 31) then built a partnership of fifty before Mustafizur Rahman (3 for 7) came back to remove them both. Shakib Al Hasan and Taskin Ahmed cleaned up the tail as Bangladesh sailed to a win that looked improbable in the first half. 

Also Read: WATCH: Rohit Paudel, Tanzim Hasan Sakib engage in heated moment during BAN vs NEP match, video goes viral

Here are the most important numbers from the game:

106 - The total of 106 that Bangladesh defended is the lowest-ever total successfully defended in an unreduced T20 World Cup match. The previous record was the 113 that South Africa defended against Bangladesh earlier in the tournament.

2 - Tanzim Hasan's figures for 4-2-7-4 are the second best for Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup. Mustafizur Rahman's 5/22 against New Zealand in 2016 are the best. 

9 - Tanzim Hasan Sakib is the ninth bowler to bowl 2 maidens (nobody has bowled more than two) in a T20 World Cup match. Frank Nsubuga had also bowled 2 maidens against Papua New Guinea earlier in the tournament. 

21 - Tanzim Hasan's 21 are the most dot balls by a bowler in a T20 World Cup match. There are as many as 10 bowlers tied at second place with 20 dot balls in a match. Eight of these 10 instances have come in the 2024 edition of the tournament, including the 20 bowled by Mustafizur Rahman in this match. 21 dot balls is also the joint-third highest in a T20I match alongside 7 other performances. 

1.75 - The economy rates for both Tanzim and Mustafizur in this match having conceded just 7 runs in 4 overs are the joint second-best in a T20 World Cup match. Trent Boult against Uganda and Anrich Nortje against Sri Lanka, both in the ongoing tournament, bowled 4-over spells giving away just 7 runs. The top spot though, is shared by Frank Nsubuga and Tim Southee who both bowled 4-over spells giving away just four runs against Papua New Guinea and Uganda respectively in the 2024 edition.