Bangabandhu ODI Series
Bangladesh VS West Indies
1st Match Played at SBNCS on 20 January 2020
Brief Scorecard:
Bangladesh 125/4 in 33.5 Overs (Tamim Iqbal 44, Mushfiqur Rahim 19*, Shakib Al Hasan 19, Akeal Hosein 3/26, Jason Mohammad 1/ 19) Beat West Indies 122 All Out in 32.2.Overs (Kayle Mayers 40, Rovman Powell 28, Jason Mohammad 17, Shakib Al Hasan 4/ 8 , Mustafizur Rahman 2/20 , Hasan Mahmood 3/28 ) by 6 wickets
Player Of The Match: Shakib Al Hasan
Bangladesh playing its first international match in Corona Pandemic did well winning by 6 wickets against understrength West Indies chasing a target of 123. It was not at all an easy win as it may sound. West Indies made Bangladesh toil for every run. The series a part of ICC ODI Championship is named after father of Bangladeshi nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The teams before match had symbolic protest against racism in Traditional gesture of Black Live Matters. During the match BCB also announced its obituary message in respect of the just deceased former General Secretary and Vice President Raisuddin Ahmed.
On a wicket gripping, turning and bouncing quality bowling of under strength West Indies made strong Bangladesh batting huff and puff in overhauling well below par target of 123. Bangladesh required skills and application of all four senior professionals Tamim, Shakib, Mushfique and Mahmudullah. The 6 wickets win sounds big and easy but truth was very different. Left arm spinner Akeal Hosein (3/28) and Off spinner Jason Mohammad (1/28) teased Bangladesh batsmen. Liton and Shanto had no clues and Shakib fell to a beautiful delivery of Akeal. Bangladeshi batsmen even struggled against Alazari Josef. It is an ominous sign for Bangladesh in test series as Josef along with Roach and Gabriel will create great headache.
Earlier Tamim winning the toss took the right decision of bowling first on a greenish wicket under overcast condition. Rain came and went. Bangladesh preferred Hasan Mahmud (3/28) over Taskin and others for his raw quality. His addition alongside back in his best Shakib (4/8) and Mushtafiz (2/20) wrapped up understrength West Indies for 122. The novice Caribbean batsmen excepting flamboyant Mayers (40) and Powel (28) had no answer to superior Bangladesh attack. World knows how dangerous Shakib and Mustafiz can be on such a wicket. But what impressed us most was the excellence of debutant Hasan Mahmood. He success encourages us in playing Shoriful for the next match. Shakib was superb with the ball giving nothing away. His 4/8 broke the backbone of visitors batting.
At innings break most including this writer thought it would be a cake walk for strong Bangladesh batting unit. But proving all wrong West Indies bowlers made Bangladesh toil for every run. Josef at the top and Akeal and Jason with their spin teased and tested cream of Bangladesh batting. Fortunately, Tamim (44) anchored the Innings, Mushfique (19*), Shakib (19) had to apply all the tricks out of their hat in hopping across the meager target 123 that West Indies set. Left arm spinner Akeal Hosein (3/26) troubled all Bangladeshi batsman. At least in this match Domingo strategy of putting Nazmul Shanto batting at three did not work. Soumya was also not required to contribute. It could be an interesting match if West Indies could somehow get up to 200.
Ultimately Bangladesh won by 6 wickets and gained 10 Championship points. West Indies by no means was out played. Bangladesh has to rethink strategy. West Indies batting would definitely improve. hey may be far more competitive in future matches
BDST: 1913 HRS, JAN 20, 2021
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