West Indies ended their tour of Bangladesh with an 18-run win in the Only T20I at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mipur. The defending World T20 Champions went onto win by that margin despite the Bangladeshis losing only one wicket and getting a strong show from its top three batsmen in the run chase.
By BV Swagath
West Indies ended their tour of Bangladesh with an 18-run win in the Only T20I at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mipur. The defending World T20 Champions went onto win by that margin despite the Bangladeshis losing only one wicket and getting a strong show from its top three batsmen in the run chase.
It was a Marlon Samuels special at Mirpur as the Jamaican smashed 3 fours and as many as 9 sixes in a highly entertaining knock of 85 from 43 balls. Darren Bravo, who batted very slowly in the final ODI did well for his 28-ball 41 (with 5 fours and 2 sixes). West Indies batting first after winning the toss ended up with an excellent total of 197 for 4. Fast bowler Rubel Hossain was spanked for 63 runs in his 4 overs. Amidst all the carnage, medium pacer Ziaur Rahman managed figures of 4-0-16-1.
Bangladesh had a flier in the run chase with 47 on the board in 4.2 overs before losing debutant Anamul Haque (22 from 12 balls). Tamim Iqbal and Mahmdullah sustained the momentum with a huge partnership of 132 for the unbeaten 2nd wicket stand but somehow their calculations fell short of the massive target. Tamim Iqbal scored 88* (from 61 balls with 10 fours and 2 sixes) while Mahmudullah got 64* (from 48 balls with 3 fours and 4 sixes). Bangladesh one has to say went down with a fight putting up an impressive 179 for 1.
Man of the Match Marlon Samuels rounded off his destructive knock with a crucial bowling spell of 4-0-32-0. It was Chris Gayle, who failed with the bat but made impact with the ball with mean figures of 4-0-18-0 that seems to have been the main cause of the Bangladeshi defeat in the second half.
