DHAKA, Bangladesh, CMC – Under-strength West Indies produced a limp batting performance to slump to a six-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the opening One-Day International of the three-match series here today.
A side featuring six debutants could only muster a mediocre 122 off 32.2 overs with left-hander Kyle Mayers top-scoring with a breezy 40 and Rovman Powell chipping in with a 28.
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein then shone brightly on debut with an excellent spell of three for 26 from 10 overs as Bangladesh crawled to their target in the 34th over.
Captain Tamim Iqbal top-scored with 44.
Sent in at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in chilly temperatures, West Indies lost openers Sunil Ambris (7) and Joshua DaSilva (9) cheaply to seamer Mustafizur Rahman (2-20), to be 24 for two in the sixth over.
Captain Jason Mohammed (17) and Andre McCarthy (12) tried to repair the innings in a third wicket stand of 21 but left-arm spinner Shakib-al-Hasan (4-8) removed both in quick succession, before prising out Nkrumah Bonner without scoring, to leave the innings in strife on 56 for five in the 19th over.
Mayers, on debut, counter-attacked by lashing four fours and a six off 56 deliveries, in a 59-run, sixth wicket partnership with Powell who belted a couple of fours and sixes in a 31-ball knock.
Once Powell perished in the 30th over, however, West Indies lost their last five wickets for just seven runs.
Tamim gave the hosts a bright start to their run chase, punching seven fours off 69 deliveries as he put on 47 for the first wicket with Liton Das (14).
But Hosein broke the stand in the 14th over when he bowled Das with a beauty before also removing Najmul Hossain for one, three overs later.
Tamim then put on 26 for the third wicket with Shakib (19) before Mushfiqur (19 not out) anchored two small partnerships to see Bangladesh home safely.
