It has been an eventful three-match ODI series between Bangladesh and England as the visitors clinched the series-deciding game by four wickets at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Wednesday.
The excitement reached its peak both on and off the field after the visitors staged a dramatic comeback to win the first ODI by 21 runs. Bangladesh went on to lose their last six wickets adding only 17 runs in pursuit of 310, eventually being bundled out for 288 with 13 balls to spare.
At one stage, the Tigers were cruising to their target riding on a magnificent hundred from Imrul Kayes and a quick-fire 79 off 55 balls by Shakib al Hasan. But they somehow managed to make a mess of their chase to suffer a heart-breaking defeat.
Bangladesh's Imrul Kayes looks to the heavens after smashing a hundred in the first ODI against England
DHAKA TRIBUNEHowever, Bangladesh made a brilliant comeback in the second game to level the series and keep their hopes alive of registering their seventh consecutive ODI series win at home, courtesy a magnificent all-round display by skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza.
He first scored a blistering 29-ball 44 to help the home side to a challenging total of 238/8 where apart from Mahmudullah, who scored the highest 75, none of the other batters posted any significant score.
The Narail Express also had a superb start with the ball as he removed both the English openers before breaking the dangerous looking last-wicket partnership. He ended up with bowling figures of 4/29 as Bangladesh won the game by 34 runs.
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza celebrates one of his four wickets during the second ODI against England
DHAKA TRIBUNEBut it was the visitors who played some good cricket to win the third and final ODI. Bangladesh posted a fighting 277/6, riding on Mushfiqur Rahim’s unbeaten 67.
The English batsmen though utilised the conditions perfectly situation as the dew factor prevented the Tigers spinners from gripping the ball. Sam Billings and Ben Duckett struck fifties as England won with 13 balls in hand.
And according to Mashrafe, if Bangladesh had been able to win the first game, the series outcome could well have been different.
“With this (third) match, to be honest, I have no complaints. Yes, when 30 to 31 overs were left, we couldn’t use that over, we couldn’t utilise it properly and otherwise, the way it was turning on the wicket it was a bit unplayable,” Mashrafe told the media after the third ODI.
“Actually with regards to this match, we have nothing left, but if you look at the series, we could have been more calculative in the first match. So yeah, if we could have finished the first match calculatedly then this day wouldn’t have come,” he said.
England captain Jos Buttler is all smiles with the ODI series trophy in Chittagong on Wednesday
DHAKA TRIBUNEOn the other hand, England captain Jos Buttler informed that he is delighted to win his maiden series as skipper and said it will help them ahead of the upcoming away series against India.
“Yeah I think in the coming days we will reflect on it more. I don’t think we can underestimate what we have achieved here. It’s a tough place to come. It's been a fantastic tour. The crowd has been fantastic. We have been looked after brilliantly. It's always great to win. We are a pretty young and inexperienced team. We will learn a lot from here,” said Buttler.
Imrul was the highest run scorer of the series with 169 runs while Ben Stokes top-scored for England with 148 runs.
The tourists' leg-spinner Adil Rashid was the leading wicket taker with 10 scalps while Mashrafe was the most successful Tigers bowler with eight dismissals.
Bangladesh's Imrul Kayes looks to the heavens after smashing a hundred in the first ODI against England DHAKA TRIBUNEHowever, Bangladesh made a brilliant comeback in the second game to level the series and keep their hopes alive of registering their seventh consecutive ODI series win at home, courtesy a magnificent all-round display by skipper Mashrafe bin Mortaza.
He first scored a blistering 29-ball 44 to help the home side to a challenging total of 238/8 where apart from Mahmudullah, who scored the highest 75, none of the other batters posted any significant score.
The Narail Express also had a superb start with the ball as he removed both the English openers before breaking the dangerous looking last-wicket partnership. He ended up with bowling figures of 4/29 as Bangladesh won the game by 34 runs.
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza celebrates one of his four wickets during the second ODI against England DHAKA TRIBUNEBut it was the visitors who played some good cricket to win the third and final ODI. Bangladesh posted a fighting 277/6, riding on Mushfiqur Rahim’s unbeaten 67.
The English batsmen though utilised the conditions perfectly situation as the dew factor prevented the Tigers spinners from gripping the ball. Sam Billings and Ben Duckett struck fifties as England won with 13 balls in hand.
And according to Mashrafe, if Bangladesh had been able to win the first game, the series outcome could well have been different.
“With this (third) match, to be honest, I have no complaints. Yes, when 30 to 31 overs were left, we couldn’t use that over, we couldn’t utilise it properly and otherwise, the way it was turning on the wicket it was a bit unplayable,” Mashrafe told the media after the third ODI.
“Actually with regards to this match, we have nothing left, but if you look at the series, we could have been more calculative in the first match. So yeah, if we could have finished the first match calculatedly then this day wouldn’t have come,” he said.
England captain Jos Buttler is all smiles with the ODI series trophy in Chittagong on Wednesday DHAKA TRIBUNEOn the other hand, England captain Jos Buttler informed that he is delighted to win his maiden series as skipper and said it will help them ahead of the upcoming away series against India.
“Yeah I think in the coming days we will reflect on it more. I don’t think we can underestimate what we have achieved here. It’s a tough place to come. It's been a fantastic tour. The crowd has been fantastic. We have been looked after brilliantly. It's always great to win. We are a pretty young and inexperienced team. We will learn a lot from here,” said Buttler.
Imrul was the highest run scorer of the series with 169 runs while Ben Stokes top-scored for England with 148 runs.
The tourists' leg-spinner Adil Rashid was the leading wicket taker with 10 scalps while Mashrafe was the most successful Tigers bowler with eight dismissals.