The sphere alighted just shy of the leg stump, taking a fiendish turn and grazing the right-hander's edge—a catch secured at slip. In the ensuing over, the orb landed on middle, darting away as the batsman's wild heave met naught but air, culminating in a stumping.
For ages, Bangladesh's aficionados have fantasised about such wickets—a leg-spinner confounding adept twirlers in a match of consequence. They've envied other nations' discovery and nurturing of leg-spinners into champions. At long last, Bangladesh boasts their own in Rishad Hossain. His spellbinding 3 for 22 against Sri Lanka steered the T20 World Cup 2024 clash in Dallas, which they clinched by a slender two wickets.
Sri Lanka stood at 100 for 3 after 14 overs when Najmul Hossain Shanto summoned Rishad for another spell. The Lankans weren't exactly soaring, yet Pathum Nissanka had laid the groundwork for a formidable score. A daunting prospect for Bangladesh's brittle top order.
Rishad's first scalp was Charith Asalanka, lured into a deep square leg trap off a sweep. Next, Wanindu Hasaranga faced Rishad's guile. Known for his unorthodox retreat from the stumps, Hasaranga was outfoxed by a delivery that spun, clipped the edge, and found its way to first slip.
With half the side dismissed, Dhananjaya de Silva, spectating from the non-striker's end, succumbed to urgency. Attempting a sweep against Rishad, he was undone by the ball's dip and turn, leaving Litton Das to execute a sharp stumping.
At 109 for 6, Sri Lanka's position was precarious, yet Rishad's stoic demeanour belied the gravity of the situation. His muted celebrations often caught his comrades and commentators off-guard.
Rishad's performance was a testament to his captain's trust, and Shanto acknowledged post-match that Rishad's evolution as a bowler was a fruit of his relentless practice
