Bangladesh compiled a hefty 207-5 in the 
three-match T20 International series opener against Ireland before rain 
forced their innings to stop with four balls remaining at Zahur Ahmed 
Chowdhury Stadium here today.

The score is already Bangladesh’s third highest total behind 215-5 against 
Sri Lanka and 211-4 against West Indies. The Ireland’s target will be 
assessed through DLS.

But Bangladesh had already rewritten a record, putting up a record 81 runs in 
the first six overs. It was their highest power-play total, eclipsing 74 
against Sri Lanka during their highest total of 215-5 in 2018. 
They scored those 81 runs without losing any wicket as the openers Rony 
Talukdar and Liton Das came down heavily on the Irish bowlers after their 
stand in Captain Paul Stirling put Bangladesh into bat first.

Rony Talukdar made team-high 67, a knock for which he played 38 balls and 
smote seven fours and three sixes. Liton Das smoked 47 off 23 with four fours 
and three sixes. Shamim Patwari chipped-in-with 20 ball-30.

Paceman Craig Young who claimed 2-45 to be top wicket-taker for Ireland, 
broke through with the wicket of Liton in the eighth over as he approached 
his 10th half-century.

Rony, however, didn’t miss as he slashed legspinner Ben White for a boundary 
through extra-cover to bring up his fifty off just 24 deliveries.

Harry Tector got rid of inform Najmul Hossain Shanto for 14 and then fast 
bowler Graham Hume baffled Rony with a slower offcutter.

The two dismissals in quick succession stalled Bangladesh’s progress to a 
bit. 

Shamim Patwari and skipper Shakib Al Hasan injected some spark as the side 
went past 200 runs for the fourth time in their T20 history.

Before the rain arrived, Shakib was batting on 20 off 13 with Mehidy Hasan 
Miraz on 4.