Bangladesh outplay Windies by 8 wickets
Bangladeshi Tigers have a comfortable 8-wicket victory over West Indies in their first meet in Ireland tri-series at the stadium of Dublin's Castle Avenue on Tuesday.
With three half centuries from the willows of Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar and Shakib, helped Bangladesh side to cross 262-run target in 45 overs expiring just two wickets.
Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar have a brilliant 144-run stand in opening partnership. Soumya got out after scoring 73 off 68 balls with 9 fours and one six hit. After Soumya’s departure Tamim and Shakib set up 52-run partnership. Tamim was caught out at 36.4 over after playing a sensible 80 off 116 runs with four boundary shots.
Later, Mushfiqur Rahim joined with Shakib and the duo finished the chase giving a 68-run partnership. Shakib was unbeaten 61 off 61 with 3 boundary and 2 over boundary shots while Mushfiqur Rahim was unbeaten 32 off 25 hitting two fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Bangladeshi bowlers restricted West Indies batsmen to 261 runs.
Bangladesh skipper Masrafe bin Mortaza broke the Caribbean’s middle order batting power by picking up three wickets in a streak.
Earlier, Mehdi Hasan Miraz gave the first breakthrough by sending SW Ambris off and Shakib al Hasan picked up DM Bravo’s wicket.
Mustafizur Rahman and Mohammad Saifuddin both picked up two wickets each.
After winning the toss, West Indies elected to bat first in their second game of the tri-nation series at the stadium of Dublin's Castle Avenue in Ireland on Tuesday.
Hope got his second successive century, but his side slipped from 205 for 2 in the 41st over to finish on 261 for 9 in 50 overs. Mashrafe Mortaza bowled three wonderful spells to finish with 3 for 49, while Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan applied the brakes in the middle overs to keep things in check.
He began by stylishly flicking the first ball of the match from Mohammad Saifuddin, before sending him through the covers off the third ball. He struck Mashrafe and Mustafizur Rahman for five more fours before reaching 2,000 ODI runs in the 22nd over. He got a slice of luck immediately after, as an intended swing over midwicket caught the outside edge and went just past wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim for four.
The opener's next big hit came in the 34th over when he top-edged a pull off Mustafizur for his first six. He reached his century - his fourth in eight innings - in the 39th over, hitting Saifuddin off the back foot through the covers. But despite adding 115 runs for the third wicket, Hope and Roston Chase (51) were largely tied down by Shakib and Mehidy, who had combined figures of 2 for 71 in 20 overs.
Spin, in fact, brought Bangladesh their first success when Mahmudullah caught Sunil Ambris at cover, diving to his left, off Mehidy. Ambris, who made 38 off 50 balls with four boundaries, was involved in an 89-run opening stand with Hope; Ambris was promoted after John Campbell went out with a sore back.
An over after Ambris' dismissal, Shakib had Darren Bravo caught behind as West Indies went into a shell against the spinners. Hope and Chase added 115 runs for the third wicket but took up 23.3 overs to do so. When he was on 20, Chase even survived a close call, Mushfiqur dropping him off Shakib, but while he made 51, he played out 61 balls to hit his two fours and a slog-swept six.
Mashrafe removed Chase in the 41st over, before adding the scalps of Hope and Jason Holder to his kitty in the 43rd over. Hope was caught at cover while Holder edged to Mushfiqur.
Debutant Shane Dowrich was next to go, top-edging a pull off Saifuddin before Jonathan Carter, after scratching around for 16 balls, holed out to Shakib at long-on, who took a superb catch diving to his left.
West Indies didn't hit a single boundary in the last 2.4 overs, as Saifuddin's mix of full balls and slower short balls held them back. Mustafizur, however, had a horror day, conceding 84 runs for his two wickets in ten overs.
Windies captain Jason Holder opted for first strike against Bangladesh explaining that they were hoping to make best use of the used pitch.
In the tri-series opener against Ireland, West Indies won by 196 runs relying on the record-breaking stand of 365 between John Campbell and Shai Hope.
On the other hand, Bangladesh lost their lone practice game against Ireland A by 88 runs as the Tigers were struggling to adapt to the condition of Ireland.
Holder's team were forced to make one change after John Campbell, Man of the Match for his 179 against Ireland in the opening game, complained of a sore back. Shane Dowrich took his place.
Liton Das and Rubel Hossain were left out of the XI that played Bangladesh's previous ODI - against New Zealand in February - and Shakib Al Hasan and Mohammad Mithun came in.
Bangladesh: 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Mohammad Mithun, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Sabbir Rahman, 8 Mohammad Saifuddin, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 10 Mehidy Hasan, 11 Mustafizur Rahman
West Indies: 1 Shai Hope (wk), 2 Shane Dowrich, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Roston Chase, 5 Jonathan Carter, 6 Sunil Ambris, 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Ashley Nurse, 9 Kemar Roach, 10 Sheldon Cottrell, 11 Shannon Gabriel
