West Indies inflicted more misery on an underperforming Bangladesh cricket team as the holders thrashed the home side by 73 runs in an agonisingly lopsided ICC World Twenty20 contest in Dhaka on Tuesday. The home side, still smarting from a shocking two-wicket loss to minnows Hong Kong in their previous game, were bowled out for 98 runs in 19.1 overs, barely managing to cross their lowest ever total of 78 runs in this format.
Leg-spinner Samuel Badree claimed 4-15, including three wickets in an over, which effectively ended the tie halfway through the Bangladesh innings after West Indies posted 171-7 on a slow surface in Mirpur.
Bangladesh, whose previous successful run-chase was 165-4 against the same side in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007, never went after their target ever since Badree removed opener Tamim Iqbal for five in his second over.
Left-arm pacer Krishmar Santokie delivered twin blows in the next over as Anamul Haque was stumped for 10 and Sakib al Hasan suffered a rare first-ball duck.
With the Tigers reduced to 16-3 inside four overs, it was too much of an asking for Mushfiqur Rahim (22) and Mominul Haque (16) to lift the side and they succumbed to the pressure inevitably.
Earlier, Al-Amin Hossain claimed three wickets in his eventful last over as West Indies were restricted to a total which was far less to their liking.
Al Amin was unlikely not to get a wicket in every ball of his over, which saw plenty of things happening in the middle.
Marlon Samuels was the first batsman to fall in the over giving a catch to Sohag Gazi before Sakib took a catch to dismiss Andre Russell.
Darren Sammy survived the hat-trick ball and somehow took a single to bring new man Dwayne Bravo to the strike.
Tamim took a blinder at short third-man jumping to the air to his right to grasp the ball one-handed in the blink of an eye for Al Amin’s third wicket in the over.
Denesh Ramdin was clearly beaten in the fifth ball and took a leg-bye before Sammy hoisted a catch in the sixth delivery, but Ziaur Rahman missed it at point.
Zia was quick to amend the situation though, picking the ball up to help Bangladesh complete a run-out as the batsmen attempted a third run.
This over belied what happened earlier with the Tigers setting up some poor examples of ground fielding. Fielders misjudged catches, conceded unnecessary boundaries to deny the bowlers their deserving rewards.
Sakib’s last over can be an example when Mushfiq conceded eight bye runs between his legs from consecutive balls. Sakib went for 20 runs in his over while he officially gave away just 21 runs in his three overs.
Because of poor fielding, Bangladesh got the momentum in one over and let it slip away in the other.
Barring Dwayne Smith, no West Indies batsman had a special time at the crease and yet they managed a total that was always going to be difficult to chase.
Chris Gayle had some problems in his foot, so he was happy to allow Smith to lead the batting charge. Smith did not disappoint him racing to his fifty off 33 balls.
Smith top-edged Mahmudullah to depart for 72 off 43 balls, which also ended his 97-run opening stand with Gayle.
Bangladesh will thank their luck as Gayle was off-colour throughout his innings taking just five runs from the first 15 balls he faced during the batting powerplay. He struck just one six in 15 overs and did not hit his first boundary until 15.5 overs.
He was out in the 19th over scoring a run-a-ball 48, something which was unbecoming of a batsman known for terrorising the bowlers all around the world.
-With New Age input
