Bangladesh whitewash Windies in ODI series too after Test series

After a clean sweep in two-match Test series, Bangladesh also whitewashed West Indies in a record breaking three-match ODI series beating them by three wickets in the 3rd and final match at the Warner Park in St Kitts on Friday.
Bangladesh, led by stand-in captain Shakib Al Hasan, remained unbeaten in the month-long Caribbean tour making a series of records against the 2nd string West Indies side without all their leading players, won the match with seven balls to spare after chasing down a moderate total of 248.
It was for the first time that the newest Test playing nation Bangladesh whitewashed any current test playing country at home and abroad after getting the test status in 2000.
The Bengal Tigers, who also won the two-match test series 2-0, will finish their tour with a Twenty20 International match at the same venue in St Kitts on Sunday, before leaving for Zimbabwe on Monday (August 3) to play a five-match ODI series.
Bangladesh made another a record by chasing their highest target in more than 200 ODI matches to overhaul the required 275 runs for the first time with six balls to spare in the 2nd ODI. Their previous record was 250 for 5 in a historic win against world champions Australia in Cardiff in 2005.
Bangladesh earlier took 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series beating former World Cup champions West Indies for the first time by 52 runs in the 1st ODI, also making a record of their highest team total against the Caribbean (246/9).
In the Friday’s 3rd ODI, things looked a touch dicey for Bangladesh at 133 for 5 in the 28th over, but they recovered through a serene partnership between all-rounder Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh vice captain cum wicketkeeper.
It was almost risk-free cricket as the duo picked singles quietly and stole the odd boundary here and there to get closer to the target.
Right-handed batsman Mahmudullah was named the man of the match for his responsible knock of not out 51 off 70 balls with two fours and a six in addition to his two-wicket haul.
Skipper Shakib Al Hasan was adjudged the player of the series for his consistent performance. He was earlier adjudged player of the test series.
Bangladesh had started their chase brightly. Tamim Iqbal in particular was in some hurry, rattling three fours in the first over before repeating the dose in the third. The kind of shots also pointed to the poor bowling. Three were flicked fours and the other three were carved over point as Kemar Roach sprayed it around. Tamim later swung Darren Sammy over long-off before smashing one straight to mid-on.
His opening partner, Zunaid Siddique, kept the momentum going with a measured innings. He started with a series of on-side boundaries against Tonge before he settling down to drop anchor as a couple of wickets fell.
Mohammad Ashraful edged one behind, Raqibul Hasan was caught brilliantly by a diving Floyd Reifer in the covers and Shakib Al Hasan, who started with a flurry of shots, edged an attempted pull but Zunaid batted on serenely. Though he got out after reaching fifty, Bangladesh had enough firepower to get past the line.
West Indies lacked similar firepower in the middle as they wasted a good start provided by Andre Fletcher. As they have done in the Tests and the ODIs, West Indies continued to struggle against the spinners. They lost two quick wickets, proceeded to recover smartly through a breezy fifty from Fletcher, only to lose their way against spin and be dismissed at 248 for 47.4 overs.
A poor finish was in contrast to the great start provided by Fletcher. What stood out in Fletcher’s innings was a delightful tendency to drive straight.
Mahbubul Alam, who along with Rubel Hossain replaced pacers Syed Rasel and Nazmul Hossain, was getting some outswing and was looking pretty good but Fletcher countered him with his drives. Fletcher started off with an off drive in the third over and upped the tempo in the fifth with two sixes, the first one dispatched over long-off before he swung the other some 20 rows over the long-on boundary.
Neither shot had any touch of violence as he covered for the outswing and drove cleanly and fluently through the line. Mahbubul lost his composure and in the seventh over, he pushed three deliveries on the legs of Fletcher, who put them away for boundaries.
With the seamers bleeding runs, the action swung to Fletcher versus the spinners. Again, Fletcher won the first round, reeling off several meaty blows.
There was a back-foot punch through the covers, a customary swing over long-on and a heave to the midwicket boundary, which brought up his fifty against Abdur Razzak, but he fell soon launching one straight to long-on.
Almost immediately, the run-rate dropped as Bangladesh applied the squeeze. More agony lay in store for the hosts as Travis Dowlin, who gave admirable support to Fletcher, was run out on the last ball of the 25th over.
It didn’t help West Indies’ cause that their captain Reifer’s travails against spin continued. He couldn’t rotate the strike and it perhaps led to Dowlin’s dismissal. He was allowed some breathing space by Sammy, who oozed intent from the start and kept unfurling the big hits. He swung Mahmudullah for two consecutive sixes and belted Naeem for a couple of fours but he fell rather tamely, scooping a caught-and-bowled chance to Razzak.
That was the final nail on the coffin as West Indies fell short of achieving a defendable target.
“This will take us to the next level and boost our confidence, it has to be good for the side,” said Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan.
Fletcher struck 52 from 42 balls as West Indies recovered from losing the early wickets of Kieran Powell and Devon Smith.
Dowlin (38) and Reifer (40) gave Fletcher some support from the middle order and Sammy (40) showed his value as an all-rounder.
But on a good batting track and with a fast outfield the total was always going to be difficult to defend and so it proved to be.
But Mahmudullah’s unbeaten half century, helped by the strong power play hitting of Naeem Islam steered Bangladesh home.
Mahmudullah was fortunate to survive his first ball when he was dropped by Sammy off Roach but in the end Bangladesh won with seven balls to spare as poor fielding from West Indies helped them in the latter stages.

Courtesy of UNB, Dhaka