Jason Holder, who stands 6ft 7ins (2.01m) tall, took an outfield catch that helped West Indies keep their Twenty20 World Cup title hopes alive on Friday, leaving Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah Riyad to lament the fielder not being 5ft 10ins (1.78m) Shimron Hetmyer instead.
Holders West Indies prevailed in a last-ball thriller to down Bangladesh by three wickets and win their first match of the Super 12 stage.
Bangladesh needed 13 off the 20th over bowled by Andre Russell but fell just short on 139 for five to lose their third straight match, all but ending their chances of making the semi-finals.
But it was the final ball of the 19th over that saw the decisive blow when top-scorer Liton Das, who made 44, fell to Dwayne Bravo with Holder taking the catch at the edge of the long on boundary.
"If Liton's last shot would have been six -- I thought it was probably six, but that's an advantage when you have a 6'5" or 6'7" tall fielder in your outfield who can catch," said Mahmudullah.
"So I think probably that was one crucial moment in that catch."
Mahmudullah, who remained unbeaten on 31 but failed to get his team over the line in Andre Russell's last over, added: "In T20 games, you have these sort of close calls every now and then.
"Unfortunately, we came second today, but I think probably, if me or Liton got into the last over, we were both set, it would have been a different story."
Holder had a telling impact with the wicket of opener Mohammed Naim, the match-defining catch and a five-ball 15 on his return to the team.
Holder was named in the main squad on Thursday in place of the injured Obed McCoy.
"I was obviously disappointed not to be a part of the original squad, but I'm here now," the all-rounder told reporters.
"I can only control what is in front of me. Certain things are beyond my control. Every opportunity I get, I try to cherish it and make the most of it to help this team."
Coming in at number nine, Holder hit two of the three sixes in the final over to boost the team total of 142 for seven after Nicholas Pooran smashed 40 off 22 balls.
Holder's wicket of Naim and figures of 1-22 also played a part in the win, but he picked Russell's last-ball yorker as his favourite moment of the match.
"The last ball that Russell bowled. Obviously, four runs, one ball to bowl the perfect yorker, which was a dot ball, was phenomenal," said Holder.
"A lot of jubilation went through my veins especially, and then all the guys obviously played really well. So, yeah, that moment was the best moment for me. Let's hope the next two games we can feel similarly."
West Indies are fifth in the six-team group table with England Australia at the top with two wins each.
UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.
Investment gap
Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.
Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.
Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, noted “The UK can lead globally in medicines and vaccines, unlocking billions in R&D investment and improving patient access but only if barriers are removed and innovation rewarded.”
The UK invests just 9% of healthcare spending in medicines, compared with 17% in Spain, and only 37% of new medicines are made fully available for their licensed indications, compared to 90% in Germany.
Expert reviews
Shailesh Solanki, executive editor of Pharmacy Business, pointed that “The government’s own review shows the sector is underfunded by about £2 billion per year. To make transformation a reality, this gap must be closed with clear plans for investment in people, premises and technology.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold £20,000 to £30,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) — has remained unchanged for over two decades, delaying or deterring new medicine launches. Raising it is viewed as vital to attracting foreign investment, expanding patient access, and maintaining the UK’s global standing in life sciences.
Guy Oliver, General Manager for Bristol Myers Squibb UK and Ireland, noted that " the current VPAG rate is leaving UK patients behind other countries, forcing cuts to NHS partnerships, clinical trials, and workforce despite government growth ambitions".
Reeves’ push for reform, supported by the ABPI’s Competitiveness Framework, underlines Britain’s intent to stay a leading hub for pharmaceutical innovation while ensuring NHS patients will gain faster access to new treatments.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.