Spinners expected to lead the pack
After an incredible batting display which helped Bangladesh post their highest ever T20I score on home soil, the spinners played a key role to ensure the 36-run victory over the current T20 World champions -- West Indies -- in the second T20I and level the three-match series 1-1 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday.
Captain Shakib Al Hasan's figures of five for 21 runs, his career-best in T20Is, speaks for itself while the impact made by the other two spinners -- Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Mahmudullah Riyad -- on a cold night with dew playing its role, can be fully understood when their economy rate and the number of boundaries conceded are taken into account.
Out of the 15 boundaries and six sixes struck by West Indies, only one boundary and a six were struck off Miraz's overs while Shakib was the victim of a six hit by Nicholas Pooran before the star all-rounder took his wicket off the very next ball.
The three spinners -- Shakib, Miraz and Mahmudullah -- accounted for seven of the Windies wickets and their miserly economy rate of 5.25, 7.6 and 3 respectively proves their vital role in restricting West Indies.
After hailing Shakib for his incredible performance, Miraz and Mahmudullah were also rightly acknowledged by Bangladesh spin bowling coach Sunil Joshi.
“Of course it's the bowling unit which actually matters, not only the fast bowlers, the spinners also matter. Mehedi got a crucial wicket, Riyad came in and chipped in.”
Going into the series-decider today, Bangladesh will be banking on their spinners yet again to yield a positive result to clinch the T20I series.
