Mahedi, Taskin help Bangladesh defend 129 to claim series

Bangladesh 129 for 7 (Shamim 35*, Mehidy 26, Motie 2-25) beat West Indies 102 (Chase 32, Hosein 31, Taskin 3-16) by 27 runs

Bangladesh defended their modest score of 129 to clinch the T20I series with a 2-0 lead, beating West Indies by 27 runs in the second game at the Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent. It was Bangladesh’s lowest total winning a game while batting first against West Indies. It was a combined effort from their quicks and spinners who took advantage of a pitch that offered a lot to the bowlers throughout the game.

Bangladesh’s only concern was Soumya Sarkar suffering a finger injury when he dropped a catch in the slips in the seventh over of the chase. Otherwise, Bangladesh were all over West Indies, having reduced them to 42 for 6 in the ninth over.

Taskin, Mahedi make the early strikes

Taskin Ahmed provided the first breakthrough in the third over when he had Brandon King caught behind for 8, with a beautiful delivery outside off. Four balls later, Taskin had Andre Fletcher caught behind too, for his second consecutive duck in the series. This one was wider but Fletcher got beaten by pace, under-edging to wicketkeeper Litton Das.

Mahedi, who took career-best figures of 4 for 13 in the first T20I, then got into the act. He trapped Johnson Charles lbw in the fourth over, as the hosts slipped to 28 for 3. In his next over, Mahedi got Nicholas Pooran caught at slip where Soumya Sarkar didn’t have to move as Pooran’s probe at a length ball took the outer edge went to him softly.

Chase holds fort after Powell but…

Bangladesh might have felt Rovman Powell as a major threat after his exploits in the first match, nearly taking the hosts over the line. Powell, however, fell cheaply this time, when Mehidy Hasan Miraz took a diving catch in front of point, off Hasan Mamhud. When Tanzim Hasan had Romario Shepherd glove to slip off a short ball, West Indies were 42 for 6 and there was almost no coming back from there.

Roston Chase was their only remaining specialist batter after that. He batted conservatively until the 16th over when he slammed Mahmud for consecutive sixes. Akeal Hosein gave Chase good support at the other end, also hitting Rishad for a straight six, but the asking rate was still nearly 12 an over in the death overs.

The three sixes gave West Indies some hope but Rishad fought back in the same over to remove Chase, who missed a big slog. The young legspinner removed Gudakesh Motie next ball when the left-hand batter holed out to long-off. Alzarri Joseph then handed a return catch to Tanzim in the following over before Hosein clipped a slower delivery from Taskin straight to backward point as Bangladesh started their celebrations.

West Indies boss the powerplay

The assistance for the spinners from the pitch was evident from the start. Hosein removed Litton again early in the Bangladesh innings, this time getting him stumped for 3. Litton’s dismal form continues, while Hosein continued his powerplay dominance. Chase followed up with Tanzid Hasan’s wicket, hitting his off stump with a ripper of a delivery.

Mehidy and Soumya got Bangladesh out of that mire, batting sensibly till the ninth over. That’s when Soumya was run out when he responded to a Mehidy call for a single to short third. Mehidy fell in the next over, hitting Joseph to deep square leg, for 26, after striking three fours and a six in his 25-ball stay.

Shamim’s flourish lifts Bangladesh

Motie then got into the Bangladesh middle order, cleaning up both Rishad and Mahedi by the 15th over. Jaker Ali tried to resurrect the innings somewhat, with his 20-ball 21, but when he fell in the 17th over with the score 88 for 7, there were chances that the visitors could be bowled out for under 100.

Shamim, however, had the final say in the death overs, hitting a couple of sixes and as many fours. Both his sixes came off the local boy Obed McCoy, hitting him over fine leg and midwicket. He ensured Bangladesh finished on a score just above 120, which was considered to be par for the course given the type of pitch.