Bangladesh beat West Indies
Agency:
Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain registered a maiden six-wicket haul to help Bangladesh clinch a crushing 74-run victory over West Indies in the first ODI and take 1-0 lead in the three-match series at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
The leg spinner then picked up a career-best 6 for 35, his maiden five-wicket haul as West Indies lost their way after a good start to fold for 133.
Rishad finished with 6-35 in nine overs, the second best bowling figure by a Bangladesh bowler behind Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s 6-26 against Kenya in 2006.
Thanks to his superb bowling Bangladesh wrapped up West Indies for 133 in 39 overs on a typically sluggish Mirpur wicket.
Rishad’s 13 ball-26 earlier was key in helping the side propel past 200-run mark before they were bowled out for 207 in 49.4 overs.
Towhid Hridoy anchored the innings with 51 off 90 with three fours after Bangladesh were reduced to 8-2 in second over.
Mustafizur Rahman ended with 2-16 while spinners Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Tanvir Islam took one wicket apiece to play a perfect foil to him in demolishing West Indies batting line up.
West Indies appeared to have chased the total with ease when openers Brandon King and Alick Athanaze shared a 51-run partnership.
The introduction of Rishad in the 12th over did the wonder as he broke through with the wicket of Athanaze who made 27 and continued his good work to spark a collapse that eventually gave Bangladesh big victory.
Brandon King was the top-scorer for the Caribbean side with 60 ball-44, an innings laced with five fours and one six before he was the third victim of Rishad.
In between, the leg-spinner also took the wicket of Keacy Carty.
In his first spell, that included eight overs in a row, Rishad broke the spine of West Indies batting line up taking five wickets.
Mustafizur Rahman then replaced him to take two more wickets as West Indies continued losing wickets.
Rishad then came back in his second spell to take one more wicket and wrapped up West Indies innings, scripting the Caribbean side fourth straight defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in Mirpur.
Debutant Mahidul Islam Ankon also played vital role in steadying the innings with 46 along with Hridoy earlier. Najmul Hossain Shanto added 32.
After being sent to bat first, Bangladesh were reduced to 8-2 in a blink of eye with inform Saif Hasan (3) and Soumya Sarkar (4) who returned to the national squad were dismissed in three balls.
Hridoy and Shanto rebuilt the innings slowly but steadily by sharing a 71-run partnership.
Khary Pierre broke through with the wicket of Shanto, whom he dismissed by overturning umpire’s decision through a review.
Hridoy raised his 11th half-century off 87 balls, steering Roston Chase past cover for a single.
But his patient fifty came to a tame end soon when he edged a delivery of Justin Greaves behind.
As has been the case, Hridoy’s dismissal raised a fear of collapse but Ankon, on his debut, showed a steely resolve to resist it.
Chase got the better of Ankon as he was four runs shy of his fifty, leaving a total above 200 in doubt.
However, Rishad’s big hitting prowess powered Bangladesh past 200 and gave a
much-needed psychological edge.
Jayden Seals was the most successful bowler for West Indies with 3-48 while Chase and Greaves took two wickets apiece.
The second match is on Tuesday at the same venue.
Brief scores: Bangladesh 207 in 49.4 overs (Towhid Hridoy 51, Mahidul Islam Ankon 46; Jayden Seales 3-48, Roston Chase 2-30) beat West Indies 133 in 39 overs (Brandon King 44, Alick Athanaze 27; Rishad Hossain 6-35, Mustafizur Rahman 2-16) by 74 runs.