Tue, 11 Oct 2011 - Bangladesh vs West Indies, West Indies Tour of Bangladesh 2011-12, Only T201 (Bul

Mushfiqur takes Bangladesh home in T20

The newly appointed Bangladesh skipper passed his first test in international cricket with flying colours as he played a superb 41 run knock under pressure to take his side home in the T20 against West Indies. With four needed off the last two deliveries, Mushfiqur swung his bat hard to send the penultimate ball of the match sailing over the ropes and thus sealed a three wicket victory for the hosts.

The last minute heroics apart, Bangladesh chase was tottering at 93 for 6 due to a tight spell of bowling from Marlon Samuels who followed up his resilient fifty in the first innings with figures of 4-0-14-2. The right hander played with authority to shepherd the struggling West Indies innings to a middling total of 132.

In reply, Bangladesh openers started brightly, adding 23 in quick time before Tamim Iqbal was caught behind. Imrul Kayes and Mohammad Ashraful hit few attractive strokes to put the chase on track. But, West Indies fought back with quick wickets, first Kayes fell in the 8th over, Shakib Al Hasan went for a first ball duck and by the time Alok Kapali was snapped by debutant Brathwaite, the score for the hosts had a worrying look- 53 for 4 after ten overs.

Rahim then took charge of the innings by rotating the strike plus the odd boundary that kept the asking rate under control. Before the hosts could cross three figures, Ashraful and Naeem Islam too exited leaving the captain with lot of responsibility. And, he responded with calculated risks, heaving Anthony Martin for a crucial six. Nasir Hossain helped the cause with a timely knock full of singles.

With 20 needed off last two overs Bangladesh needed a big over and debutant Carlos Brathwaite conceded 14 runs in 19th over to allow the chase some breathing space. Even though, Hossain was dismissed in the last over for 18, Rahim was good enough to see his side through with one ball remaining.

Earlier, West Indian batsmen with the exception of Marlon Samuels struggled to get going on a sluggish track, managing 132 for the loss of eight wickets. With West Indies missing some of their key batsmen, Samuels raised to the challenge with an attacking 42-ball 58 to continue his good run, having already made a century in the practice T20.

On expected lines, Bangladesh heavily banked on their spinners and opened with Abdur Razzak who kept it tight from the very start. Though, Adrian Barath hit a couple of boundaries before old skipper Shakib had him caught by his deputy Tamim Iqbal. The other opener, Lendl Simmons smacked a couple of boundaries before Marlon Samuels faced his first ball. And, he got off the mark in style depositing a poor ball from off-colour Rubel Hossain over square leg boundary. The dose was repeated on the last ball of the sixth that cost 17 runs.

Just when the partnership between Simmons and Samuels was beginning to look good, the former missed a faster one from Razzak to be LBW for 23. All-rounder Andre Russell promoted up the order, scratched around for 12 balls for five runs before becoming Shakib’s second victim. The Bangladesh spinners put the brakes on scoring by picking up wickets in quick succession as Darren Bravo, Danza Hyatt and skipper Darren Sammy were dismissed for single digit scores within space of nine deliveries.

Meanwhile, Samuels was playing a lone hand from the other end. After a six over off Naeem Islam, he clobbered another one off Shakib to lend some respectability to the faltering West Indian innings. He was finally caught behind for 58 not before helping West Indies to put some kind of a total on the board. The 42 ball knock was studded by four sixes and two boundaries.