SYLHET – Poor batting display by Bangladesh batsmen allowed visiting West Indies to record an overwhelming eight-wicket victory in the first T20I of the three-match series held on Monday at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
It was the first victory for West Indies of their tour in Bangladesh following losses of their two-match Test and three-match ODI series.
Chasing a winning target 130-run, West Indies hardly had to sweat as they comfortable reached home in 10.5 overs with eight wickets in hand.
Thanks to Shai Hope for his blistering half century that helped West Indies to chase down the target easily after the Caribbean pacer Sheldon Cottrell paved the way to restrict Bangladesh at 129.
The wicket keeper batsman Shai Hope first shared a blistering 51-run opening stand with Evin Lewis (18) and again paired 47-run second wicket stand with Nicholas Pooran to take his side closer to the victory. He smashed
23-ball off 55-run hitting three boundaries and six over boundaries before his destructive knock was stopped by Mahmudullah.
Keemo Paul (28 n.o) and Nicholas Pooran (23 n.o) completed the remaining formalities to remain unbeaten with 28 and 23 runs respectively.
Mohammad Saifuddin and Mahmudullah shared one West Indies’ wicket conceding 13 each.
Sheldon Cottrell of West Indies was named the player of the match for his devastating bowling spells.
Earlier, a responsible half century came from the bat of skipper Shakib Al Hasan helped Bangladesh to score a decent total of 129 for all in 19 overs against visiting West Indies, after they opted to bat first.
Bangladesh suffered early batting jolt as they lost their first three top order batsmen – Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar – inside 3.3 overs with the scoreboard stuck at 31 for 3.
Bangladesh two most experienced batsmen Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah also lasted a little as they went to the pavilion leaving Bangladesh in deep trouble.
Shakib Al Hasan, who completed his eight T20I fifty making 43-ball off 61- run with the help of eight boundaries and two over boundaries, kept his nerve cool as he paring with Ariful Haque contributed an important 30-run sixth
wicket stand, the highest partnership of Bangladesh’s dilapidated innings, to stop the rot before Fabian Allen broke the partnership removing Ariful for 17.
The Bangladesh’s batsmen failed to build any effective partnership in the face of tight bowling display by the West Indies bowlers and eventually all out for 129.
Left arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell was the pick of West Indies bowler as he grabbed four Bangladesh’s wickets conceding 28 runs.
The second and third matches of the series will be held on December 20 and 22 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium at Mirpur.
Brief score:
Bangladesh – 129 for all in 19 overs, Shakib 61, Ariful 17, Mahmudullah 12, Sheldon Cottrell 4/28.
West Indies – 130 for 2 in 10.5 overs, Shai Hope 55, Paul 28 n.o, Pooran 23 n.o, Saifuddin 1/13 and Mahmudullah 1/13.
