After being clean-swept in Tests and T20Is, Bangladesh bowlers Shoriful Islam and Mehidy Hasan put on an impressive show to set up a six-wicket win in the three-match ODI series opener in Guyana on July 10.
In a game reduced to 41 overs per side due to a delay, with a wet outfield at the start, it took the hosts just 31.5 overs to achieve the 150-run target with six wickets remaining. Liton Das was trapped leg-before by left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein for 1 in just the third over, but skipper Tamim Iqbal led an early attack with a 25-ball 33 before being run-out in a mix-up with Najmul Shanto to end a rapid 40-run stand.
Shanto (37 off 46) added another 49 with Mahmudullah before falling to debutant Gudakesh Motie, and Afif Hossain fell to Nicholas Pooran’s part-time off-break soon after.
Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan and Mahmudullah then added an unbeaten 40 in a patient fifth-wicket stand to seal Bangladesh’s win, with the latter finishing not out on 41. Earlier, Mustafizur Rahman gave WI an early jolt, removing an in-form Shai Hope for a golden duck in the second over of the innings.
Debutant left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed restricted the scoring with the new ball, and the sustained pressure enabled Miraz (3/36) and Islam (4/34) to run through the rest of the line-up.
Mehidy accounted for Pooran, Kyle Mayers, and Rovman Powell, while Islam dismissed Shamarh Brooks, Brandon King, Romario Shepherd and Motie. West Indies stumbled to 55/4 and later 110/9, and Anderson Philip (21*) and Jayden Seales (16*) added an unbeaten 39 for the final wicket. Brooks, with his 33 off 66, was the only notable contributor among the designated batters.
The second ODI will be played at the same venue on July 13.
Brief scores
West Indies 149/9 from 41 overs (Brooks 33, Islam 4/34, Hasan 3/36) lost to Bangladesh 151/4 from 31.5 overs (Mahmudullah 41*, Iqbal 33, Motie 1/18) by six wickets.
