NEW DELHI: Lion-hearted Bangladesh stunned England by two wickets on Friday to keep alive their World Cup quarter-final hopes and set up a nail biting race to qualify from Group B.
On a rollercoaster night in Chittagong, Bangladesh, chasing just 226 to win, were cruising at 155-3 when opener Imrul Kayes, on 60, attempted a second run off Paul Collingwood but was beaten by a flat, sharp throw from Ajmal Shahzad.
That precipitated a collapse to 169-8, but tailenders Shafiul Islam (24) and Mohammad Mahmudullah (21) put on 58 for the ninth wicket to win with six balls to spare.
If England had won, they would have gone into the last eight along with group leaders India.
India can make sure of their place with victory over South Africa in Bangalore on Saturday while England have a tough clash with West Indies in Chennai next Thursday that could decide their fate.
"We wanted to win this game and win it well," said England skipper Andrew Strauss.
"We struggled a little bit with the bat although I thought 225 was a competitive total. We needed to bowl and field well but didn't do that as well as we would have liked.
"We got ourselves in a great position to win the game but in the end we couldn't take those final two wickets."
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan praised his unlikely match-winners.
"I thought Mahmudullah and Shafiul batted exceptionally well. At one stage we thought we'd lost the game but they showed their character, how tough they are and how hard-working," said Shakib.
India have seven points at the head of Group B with the West Indies on six after seeing off Ireland in Mohali.
England are third with five points from five games, one ahead of South Africa (four points in three games) and Bangladesh (four points in four).
Earlier, Jonathan Trott and Eoin Morgan defied Bangladesh's spinners with half-centuries as England were bowled out for 225.
Trott hit 67 and left-hander Morgan, who arrived in Chittagong on Tuesday to replace the injured Kevin Pietersen, hit a fluent 63 off 72 balls.
The duo put on 109 for the fourth wicket after England, sent in to bat on a sluggish pitch at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium, slipped to 53-3 in the 17th over.
In Mohali, big-hitting Kieron Pollard nudged West Indies closer to the quarter-finals as his side defeated Ireland by 44 runs.
Pollard hammered 94 off just 55 balls and shared an 88-run stand with Devon Smith (107), who hit a maiden one-day century, as West Indies posted 275 before bowling out the Irish for 231.
Ed Joyce, who played for England in the 2007 World Cup, made a 106-ball 84, containing nine fours and put on 109 for the fourth wicket with Gary Wilson (61).
"We batted, bowled and fielded pretty well, but Pollard struck the ball pretty clean. It was a good innings and it got them some good momentum," said Ireland captain William Porterfield.
Pollard said he was happy to keep proving his critics wrong.
"This innings is for the people who have supported me. What's been said about me (as a Twenty20 specialist), that's just history for me. I go out there and do my best."
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