West Indies Vs Bangladesh 2nd ODI
Day Night at Providence, Guyana
West Indies 271 All Out 49.3 Overs (Shimron Hetmeyer 125, Rovman Powell 44 Christopher Henry Gayle 29, Rubel Hossain 3/61, Shakib al Hasan 2/46, Mustafiz 2/44 ) beat Bangladesh 268 /6 (Mushfiqur Rahim 68, Shakib 56, Tamim 54, Mahmudullah 39) by 3 runs.
Series Status 1-1
It was another pressure cooker situation. Bangladesh went so close of winning the match but yet it lost by 3 runs. The three matches ODI series between Bangladesh and West Indies is now 1-1. The third and final match at St Kitts will be the decider. Put into bat West recovered from mid stage slump to an impressive 271 all out ridding on magnificent unbeaten 125 by young Simron Hetmeyer .
Bangladesh started with a bang, stayed in the hunt till middle stage, drifted back a little for not keeping up with run rate, recovered and were cruising till throwing away the towel at the last stage failing to step across the finishing mark only just. Bangladesh lost by three runs with four wicket still in tact. Mushfique, Shakib , Tamim , Mahmuduallh all got runs . But few things like Shakib dropping Hetmeyer off Rubel, Rubel conceding 22 in his last over, a dreadful mix up between Mushfique and Mahmudullah causing Mahmudullah run out. Two full tosses getting wickets of Sabbir and Mushfique led to photo finish of the match.
West Indies Innings:
Winning the toss and putting West Indies in was not a bad decision especially in the context of rain threatening for rain curtailed match and dew factor in the day night match
Bangladesh controlled this innings for the first 30 overs, courtesy their spinners, and then let this slip. Mashrafee as usual bowled in the right channel exploiting the condition. Youngster Miraj continued to bemuse hard hitting left hand openers Gayle and Lewis. Msshrafee removed Lewis and Miraj accounted for Gayle before both could grow big. They recovered a bit till Rubel, Shakib and Mustafiz chipped in with Wickets at crucial stage.
Young Hetmeyer batted superbly pacing his innings brilliantly. Him and Powell produced a wonderful 103 runs 5th wicket partnership. But once Powel got out West Indies was crumbling. Hetmeyer took Charge and was counter attacking .He got a reprieve at 71 when Shakib dropped him in the fence off Rubel. From there on he did not look back. One over of Rubel was taken apart for 22 runs. Rubel not only conceded runs he bowled wides and no balls . It the ultimate analysis that over made a huge difference.
Credit must also go to a magnificent second ODI century from a 20-year old - Shimron Hetmyer - whose name we will hear of for a long time to come. The manner in he maneuverer the field and played to the situation along with the lower middle order a stand out. Towards the death, his improvisation and clean ball-striking stood out. West Indies perhaps found a quality number four to serve them for a long time.He scored 63 of 89 runs scored in the last 10 overs of the innings .West Indies needs Bravos and Pollard back soon. If Bangladesh did not leak too many in the last few overs they would have to chase 250 not 272.
Bangladesh Response:
Bangladesh innings witnesses a flamboyant Anamul spanking Holder all over the park. But his blitz lasted for 9 balls only scoring 23 with 2 fours and 2 sixes before losing his furnitures behind in ugly fashion to Josef. He should have been restrained and consolidate. Ok his blitz kept West Indies guessing for while and let Tamim and Shakib go about the business calmly. But with little dew coming ball started gripping and turning.
Tamim and Shakib both scored 50 and produced yet another 97 runs partnership. But Nurse, Bishoo and Gayle started turning the ball almost square asking run rate started creeping. After scoring 54 Tamim gifted his wicket to Bishoo and Shakib too fell Nurse after he got to 56 . At that stage on the turning track it got extremely difficult for even Mushfique and Mahmudullah to stay in touch with run rate. But their quality made them survive and at one stage they were cruising 3/232 at 46th over.
A dreadful misunderstanding between two Ms cost Mahmudullah Wicket. Sabbir joined Mushfique. With some glorious strokes Mushfique made brought the target within sight. 8 runs were required in 7 balls with 6 wickets at hand . Sabbir got a full toss from Paul which of all places he struck to Hetmeyer . It was still not over. Well set Mushfique could get the required runs in the last over. Captain courageous Holder despite leaking too many runs in his previous over dared to bowl the last over.
Mushfique got a full toss once again which he wanted to blast out of the ground. Such an experienced player getting panicked lost his wicket and let the match slip out of his hand. Holder bowled exceddingly well. It was well beyond Mosaddeq and Mashrafee just coming to the wicket to score the required runs. Bangladesh lost by 3 runs and lost the opportunity of wrapping up the series. Instead it is 1-1. West Indies successfully defended.
We hope Bangladesh coaching staff had identified what went wrong for Bangladesh at different stages of the match. Lot needs to be done at death over bowling and batting if Bangladesh has to win such close matches against any team.
Anamul must know it is impossible for even Gayle strking everything beyond the boundary. Shakib abd Tamim must excercise rotating the strikes. Mushfique and Mahmudullah must not panic. They are too good players to panic. Bangladesh bowlers must know how to bowl at death overs like Holder did his last over. Unfortunately it was Rubel again leaking too many in the penultimate over.
WE CAN ONLY SAY ANOTHER DREAM GOT DASHED FOR TIGER LOVERS
BDST: 1036 HRS, JUL 26, 2018
SI
