Bangladesh beat West Indies by seven wickets

Sports Desk: Shakib Al Hasan struck a scintillating 99- ball 124 not out as Bangladesh crushed West Indies by seven wickets at Taunton on Monday to stay alive in World Cup semifinal race.

West Indies compiled a hefty 321-8 which Bangladesh gunned down with utmost ease, reaching the winning target of 322-3 in just 41.3 overs.

That they kept 51 balls unused to reach the target registering their highest successful chase in ODI history, showed Bangladesh utter domination.

With this second victory in the cricket’s biggest carnival, Bangladesh now have five points in five games, taking them to the fifth position of the point table.

Liton Das smashed 69-ball 94 not out and shared a record 189-run with Shakib for an undefeated fourth wicket partnership to make the contest a one-sided affair.

Tamim Iqbal was the other notable scorer with 48 while Soumya Sarkar made 26. Shakib brought up his ninth ODI century off just 83 balls, with a picture-esque cover-drive for a boundary. And by doing so, he brought up his second successive ton in World Cup, to emulate Mahmudullah Riyad who also struck consecutive century against England and New Zealand in 2015 World Cup.

It was also Shakib’s fourth straight fifty plus knock in this edition.

He gave the chase an impetus after the early dismissal of Soumya Sarkar in the chase of big target.

Earlier in 2015 World Cup, they chased down Scotland’s 318 by making 322-4. But as West Indies piled up 321, it was considered Bangladesh’s highest successful chase.Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza won the toss and opted to bowl first at the Coopers Associates County Ground of Taunton, which is the smallest ground in England.

The decision seemed to be right when Bangladeshi pacers stifled the Caribbean side’s for runs that resulted the dismissal of dangerous Chris Gayle, who edged one to a moving delivery of Saifuddin to be dismissed for a duck, after playing 13 balls.

Shai Hope kept West Indies in track, continuing his rich vein of form against Bangladesh as he hit his sixth straight 50 plus knock against the Tigers and struck a valuable 96.

Opener Evin Lewis struck a 67 ball-70, hitting six fours and two sixes while Shimron Hetmyer hammered 50 off just 26, smashing four fours and three sixes, including one that was 104 meter and disappeared over the stand.

It was the longest six of the tournament until his captain Jason Holder broke the record just after 15 minutes, smashing one over deep mid-wicket that was 105-meter long.

Holder’s 15 ball-33 runs knock was studded by four fours and two sixes.
Mustafizur Rahman (9-0-59-3) and Saifuddin (10-1-72-3) claimed three wickets apiece.


risingbd/June 18, 2019/Mukul