Sports Desk
Bangladesh beat West Indies by five-wicket in the first ODI of the three-match series at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday.
Tigers faced a bit of turbulence early in their chase of West Indies’ score of 195 but the experienced Mushfiqur Rahim kept his temperament to see the Tigers through to victory with a 70-ball 55. Bangladesh needed 35.1 overs to clinch the win with Mahmudullah Riyad unbeaten on 14 at the other end.
Earlier, It was a magnificent bowling display by Tigers’ skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and bowling sensation Mustafizur Rahman as Bangladesh restricted West Indies at 195 for 9 in 50 overs.
Bangladesh got their first breakthrough as Shakib Al Hasan removed Windies opener Kieron Powell for 10 in the eighth over of the match while Bangladesh captain Mashare Bin Mortaza got two wickets in quick succession to reduce 78 for 3 in 24.3 overs.
Mashrafe Bin Mortaza removed Darrewn Bravo for 19 while another opener Shai Hope, who seemed good with bat as he top scored 43 runs, became Mashrafe’s second victim.
After that, the Tigers bowlers, led by Mashrafe, continued their attack on West Indies innings picking up wickets of Marlon Samuels (25), Shimron Hetmyer (6) and Rovman Powell (14) establishing their full control on the match.
However, Keemo Paul and Roston Chase offered some resistance in the end as both the Caribbean batsmen shared an important 51-run for the seventh wicket stand, the highest partnership in West Indies’s dilapidated innings, to take the team’s total to a respectable position.
Paul blasted 28-ball off 36 runs with the help of one boundary and two over boundaries while Roston supported him with a priceless 32-run off 38 ball that included one boundary and equal number of over boundary, before they fell victim to Mustafizur Rahman.
Mashrafe Mortaza and Mustafizur Rahman were the pick of Bangladeshi bowlers as the duo shared three West Indies’s wickets giving away 30 and 35 runs respectively.
Brief score: West Indies – 195 for 9 in 50 overs, Shie Hope 43, Keemo Paul 36, Roston 32, Samuels 25, Bravo 19, , Mashrafe 3/30 and Mustafizur 3/35.
Bangladesh – 196 for 5 in 35.1 overs, Mushfiqur Rahim 55 n.o Liton 41, Shakib 30, Mahmudullah 14 n.o, Roston 2/47.