SHARJAH: Opener Mohammad Naim and Mushfiqur Rahim cracked impressive half centuries to steer Bangladesh to a competitive 171 for four against Sri Lanka in their T20 World Cup Super 12 Group 1 match here on Sunday.
Joining forces in the eighth over when their side was struggling at 56 for two, Naim and Rahim stitched a quick 73-run stand in 8.3 overs to keep the momentum going.
Naim hit six boundaries in his 52-ball 62-run knock while Rahim remained unbeaten on 57 from 37 balls with the help of five fours and two sixes.
Bangladesh openers Naim and Liton Das waited for a couple of overs before playing big shots.
The duo looked good for a substantial partnership before Das got out for 16 in sixth over of the bowling of Lahiru Kumara.
Das made room for himself to drive a full ball over the ring but picked mid-off fielder Dasun Shanaka.
The dismissal led to an ugly scene between the batter and the bowler as the umpires had to step in to calm down the frayed tempers.
Kumara was seen charging towards Das who responded and the duo was seen exchanging a few words with their heads almost butting each other before they were separated.
There was some pushing and shoving among the players.
Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (10) was in the thick of things as soon as he joined and hit two fours in the seventh over off Charith Asalanka but he was clean-bowled by Chamika Karunaratne in the next over.
From 41 for 1 at the end of powerplay overs, Bangladesh were 72 for 2 at the halfway mark.
Diminutive Rahim was on song as he hit Wanindu Hasaranga for a six in the 11th over before adding another maximum in the 13th over off Binura Fernando.
The Bangladeshis were beginning to open up their arms and Naim reached to his fifty in 44 balls in the 14th over with a four off Lahiru Kumara while Rahim smashed two consecutive boundaries off Hasaranga in the 15th over.
The duo added 46 runs in the five overs after the 10th.
Bangladesh added another 53 runs from the final five overs.
Naim was, however, out in the 17th over as he mistimed a pull shot for Fernando to take a catch off his own bowling.
Brief Scores: Bangladesh: 171 for 4 in 20 overs.
(Mohammad Naim 62, Mushfiqur Rahim 57 not out; Chamika Karunaratne 1/12).