Shakib-inspired Bangladesh mark int’l return by razing WI

Bangladesh made a winning return to international cricket as the hosts registered a six-wicket win against visitors West Indies in the first of the three-match ODI series at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka Wednesday. 

Bangladesh played their first international in 10-months due to the forced break of the Covid-19 pandemic and Shakib al Hasan’s record bowling figure played the key role to restrict the opponents to 122 runs after they had been asked to bat first.

But the chase was not smooth for the hosts as they lost four wickets and took as many as 33.5 four overs to reach the low target. 

Tamim Iqbal, the newly appointed full-time ODI skipper, made a painstaking 44 on a pitch where everyone seemed to struggle.  

The focus was on Shakib, who completed serving one-year ban imposed by the International Cricket Council for failing to report multiple corrupt approaches, and he wiped off all pressure with a dominating performance with the cherry in hand. 

The left-arm spinner came into the attack in the 10th over when the Windies were on 38/2 and he completely decimated the batting line-up with his accurate bowling that became lethal with the aid of the turf. 

It did not look like a bowler who returned to arena after such a long time as he bowled seven tight overs in a row conceding just eight runs and picking up three wickets.

Later, he came back to pick up the last wicket and returned with an incredible figure of 7.2-2-8-4, the best by a Bangladeshi against the Windies.

With six debutants in the playing XI for the Caribbean side, the margin in strength compared to that of Bangladesh was humongous. 

Bangladesh, with one debutant in young fast bowler Hasan Mahmud, had played an XI with 1,115 ODI-match experience, while for the West Indies it was mere 105. 

And this reflected clearly in the middle as the West Indies, batting first, struggled to not only put up a competitive score on the board but failed to utilize 106 balls in the innings where they were folded for the second-lowest ODI total against Bangladesh.

Debutant Kyle Mayers looked to be the most comfortable against the Bangladesh attack as he added 40 off 56 while Rovman Powell scored 28. 

The remaining Windies batters were busy going on and off the field as they had no answer against Bangladeshi bowlers.

Bangladesh got the early breakthrough from left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman as he trapped Sunil Ambris in front in the second over of the match and following a short rain break struck again to dismiss Joshua da Silva.

Shakib, who reduced the West Indies to 56/5 with his controlled spell, also reached the landmark of 150 ODI wickets at home during the destruction of the opponent ranks. 

Under a shaky situation, Mayers and Powell took charge to stable the damage swooping on opposition pacers with pull and cut and producing a 59-run stand for the sixth wicket.

The partnership was broken by 21-year old Hasan in the 30th over.

The right-arm seamer dismissed Powell and in the next ball, Raymon Reifer, but missed out on the hat-trick on debut as the seven down batsman Alzari Joseph defended the incoming delivery. 

Windies could add just seven more to the board before losing the last three wickets, Mayers to Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Akeal Hosein as Hasan’s third scalp and Jospeh Shakib’s fourth in the game.  

Chasing the target, Bangladesh openers Tamim and Liton Das added 47 before the latter got out to Akeal in the 14th over scoring 14. 

Nazmul Hossain Shanto batting at No 3 in place of a proven Shakib could not do justice as the left-handed batsman could score just one run in nine balls.

The two quick wickets saw Shakib arrive in the middle alongside Tamim and the duo put on 26 for the third wicket before Tamim lost his wicket to interim ODI captain Jason Mohammed when the wicket-keeper Da Silva completed a stumping. 

Shakib added 19 before he was cleaned up by Akeal and left Bangladesh on 105 for four in 27.6 overs. 

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah remained unbeaten on 19 and nine respectively to take Bangladesh to a convincing victory, and secure first 10 points in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.

1ST ODI

WEST INDIES INNINGS        R    B

Ambris lbw b Mustafizur     7    5

Da Silva    c Liton b Mustafizur     9    13

McCarthy b Shakib         12    34

Jason st Mushfiq b Shakib     17    36

Mayers     c Liton b Miraz        40    56

Bonner lbw b Shakib         0    4

Powell c Mushfiq b Hasan     28    31

Reifer lbw b Hasan         0    1

Joseph b Shakib         4    7

Akeal c Liton b Hasan         1    4

Chemar not out            0    3

Extras (lb 3, w 1)        4

Total (32.2 Ov, RR: 3.77)    122    

Fall Of Wickets

1-9 (Ambris), 2-24 (Da Silva), 3-45 (McCarthy), 4-56 (Jason), 5-56 (Bonner), 6-115 (Powell), 7-115 (Reifer), 8-121 (Mayers), 9-122 (Akeal), 10-122 (Joseph)

Bowling

Rubel 6-0-34-0, Mustafizur 6-0-20-2, Hasan 6-1-28-3, Shakib 7.2-2-8-4, Miraz 7-1-29-1

BANGLADESH INNINGS        R    B

Liton b Akeal            14    38

Tamim st Da Silva b Jason    44    69

Shanto c Jason b Akeal        1    9

Shakib b Akeal            19    43

Mushfiq not out        19    31

Mahmudullah not out        9    16

Extras (b 2, lb 10, nb 3, w 4)    19

Total (33.5 Ov, RR: 3.69)    125/4    

Fall Of Wickets

1-47 (Liton), 2-57 (Shanto), 3-83 (Tamim), 4-105 (Shakib)

Bowling

Joseph 8-3-17-0, Chemar 3-0-26-0, Akeal 10-1-26-3, Jason 8-0-19-1, McCarthy 2-0-10-0, Bonner 2.5-0-15-0

Bangladesh won by six wickets

MoM: Shakib al Hasan