Spinners help Bangladesh clinch last-over thriller

Another Bangladesh comeback, another major contribution from their senior players. Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal powered the visitors to a 12-run win against West Indies to bring them back level in the T20I series.

Towards the end of the West Indies chase, Mustafizur Rahman and Nazmul Islam took three wickets each, but the win was set up by Tamim, who top-scored with a quickfire 44-ball 74, while Shakib complemented his half-century with figures of 2 for 19 from four overs.

Shakib and Tamim added 90 runs for the fourth wicket. Tamim’s innings had his best strike-rate in a 50-plus knock, while Shakib reached his first T20I fifty in more than two years, spanning 17 innings. West Indies will rue losing four early wickets in a chase of 172.

Despite the loss of Evin Lewis, whose lean patch has now spanned four successive innings, West Indies had got off the blocks rapidly. Andre Russell clattered Rubel Hossain for a four through point, and two sixes – over deep midwicket and cover point – in a 16-run third over. He followed it up with another monster hit over midwicket, this one dumped outside of the Lauderhill ground. But, later in the same over, after another four, Mustafizur had him top-edging a short ball to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim.

Abu Hider gets demerit point for foul language

Bangladesh fast bowler Abu Hider has picked up one demerit point and been fined 20% of his match fee for “using inappropriate language” during the second T20I against West Indies. Hider was in breach of Article 2.1.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct, and accepted the sanction, meaning there was no need for any formal hearing

According to an ICC release: “The incident happened in the 14th over of the Windies’ run-chase, when Abu Hider ignored an earlier warning by the on-field umpires by again using inappropriate language after Rovman Powell had hit him for a six.”

Marlon Samuels lasted three balls: he edged the first one for four, struck a high six off the next ball, and facing Shakib in the next over, clubbed him to deep midwicket, where Liton Das dived forward to complete the catch. Rubel had Denesh Ramdin lbw in the eighth over, in the midst of a 33-ball boundary drought.

Andre Fletcher’s six over midwicket in the 10th over broke the shackles, and it was four overs later that the late-overs slogging really began. Rovman Powell hammered Abu Hider for two sixes in an over when Fletcher was dropped at deep midwicket on 36. Fletcher fell in the next over, having just struck his second six, having made 43 off 38 balls and added 58 for the fifth wicket with Powell.

Liton then produced a superb catch at the wide long-on boundary, evading an oncoming Soumya Sarkar, and completing a running catch along the boundary rope. Shakib capped off the over by conceding only three runs to end with 2 for 19 from four superb overs.

Rubel followed it up with another over that didn’t have any boundaries. He could have finished the over with a wicket had Shakib not dropped Powell on 37. Powell fell in the next over though, caught behind attempting a pull, after a 34-ball 43.

Earlier, Ashley Nurse once again struck early for West Indies, sending back Liton and Mushfiqur inside four overs. Liton, who was promoted from No. 3 to open the innings, lasted only five balls before sending a low catch to Carlos Brathwaite at mid-off. Mushfiqur, who was also promoted, fell trying an awkward reverse sweep to point.

Sarkar had another wretched stay, this time taking up 18 balls to make 14. He struck a six and a four, but looked out of tune against pace. He has now scored only 82 runs in Bangladesh’s last 10 T20Is.

Tamim, though, looked for runs despite the three early wickets. Apart from his first six, a low screamer over extra cover off Samuel Badree, he collected three fours through tickles down the leg-side and one edge to the left of wicketkeeper Ramdin.

Shakib took over from Tamim from the 10th over, in which he struck Keemo Paul over the off-side field twice for fours, before launching Kesrick Williams for three fours in the 13th over. He blasted one over cover while the other two came via powerful pull shots. His first six also came off Paul, struck over point and just over a jumping Nurse.

Tamim, who was dropped on 47 by Rovman Powell, ended his innings in a blaze. Against Russell in the 16th over, he struck three sixes – twice over midwicket and one dead straight — and a four, before falling off the final ball of the over.

West Indies pulled things back considerably as Bangladesh, despite a settled Shakib and a usually big-hitting Mahmudullah at the crease, added just 33 runs in the remaining four overs. (ESPNCricinfo)