KINGSTOWN: Taskin Ahmed spearheaded a superb bowling effort as Bangladesh defended another modest total to claim a series-clinching 27-run victory over the West Indies in the second T20 International of a three-match series at the Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent on Tuesday.

After the tourists were limited to 129 for seven, medium-pacer Taskin claimed two early wickets and then returned to seal victory in the 19th over when he dismissed all-rounder Akeal Hosein, who fell for 31 to a catch at backward-point just as he was threatening to win the match off his own bat as the West Indies were folded for 102.

Taskin finished with three for 16 while fellow seamer Tanzim Hasan Sakib and wrist-spinner Rishad Hossain took two wickets each.

Hosein and Roston Chase rescued the Cari­b­bean team from an abject collapse at 42 for six in the ninth over, putting on 47 for the seventh wicket before Rishad struck two critical blows when he bowled Chase for a topscore of 32 and then had Gudakesh Motie taken at long-off first ball to tilt the balance of the match decisively Bangladesh’s way.

Earlier, they were again indebted to ano­ther late flurry from Sha­mim Hossain in getting up to their final total.

He belted two fours and two sixes in getting to an unbeaten 35 off just 17 balls, dominating an unbroken 41-run eighth-wicket partnership with Tanzim (9 not out). Shamim’s efforts earned him the “Man of the Match” award.

Like the West Indies, Bangl­adesh also got off to a bad start, slumping to 52 for five by the 11th over, the only contribution of note at that point coming from Mehidy Hasan Miraz with 26.

However, Jaker Ali’s 21 avoided a complete collapse and his demise opened the way for Shamim to dominate the end of the innings with Tanzim offering sturdy support.

Motie’s left-arm spinners earned him the best figures for the West Indies with two for 25.

BANGLADESH:

Liton Das st Fletcher b Hosein 3

Soumya Sarkar run out 11

Tanzid Hasan b Chase 2

Mehidy Hasan c King b Joseph 26

Jaker Ali c Powell b McCoy 21

Rishad Hossain b Motie 5

Mahedi Hasan b Motie 11

Shamim Hossain not out 35

Tanzim Hasan Sakib not out 9

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-5) 6

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 20 overs) 129

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-8 (Liton), 2-11 (Tanzid), 3-39 (Soumya), 4-45 (Mehidy), 5-52 (Rishad), 6-72 (Mahedi), 7-88 (Jaker)

DID NOT BAT: Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud

BOWLING: Hosein 4-0-16-1 (1w), Shepherd 3-0-26-0 (2w), Chase 2-0-8-1, Joseph 4-0-21-1, Motie 4-0-25-2, McCoy 3-0-32-1 (1w)

WEST INDIES:

B. King c Liton b Taskin 8

J. Charles lbw Mahedi 14

A. Fletcher c Liton b Taskin 0

N. Pooran c Soumya b Mahedi 5

R. Chase b Rishad 32

R. Powell c Mehidy b Hasan 6

R. Shepherd c Tanzid b Tanzim 0

A. Hosein c Mehidy b Taskin 31

G. Motie c Mahedi b Rishad 0

A. Joseph c & b Tanzim 0

O. McCoy not out 1

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-4) 5

TOTAL (all out, 18.3 overs) 102

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-19 (King), 2-19 (Fletcher), 3-28 (Charles), 4-32 (Pooran), 5-41 (Powell), 6-42 (Shepherd), 7-89 (Chase), 8-89 (Motie), 9-90 (Joseph)

BOWLING: Hasan 3-1-23-1, Mahedi 4-1-20-2 (3w), Taskin 3.3-0-16-3, Tanzim 4-1-22-2 (1w), Rishad 3-0-12-2, Mehidy 1-0-8-0

RESULT: Bangladesh won by 27 runs.

PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Shamim Hossain

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2024