SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates, CMC – A still unconvincing West Indies kept alive their slim hopes of reaching the semi-finals when they edged winless Bangladesh by three runs here yesterday to register their first points of the Twenty20 World Cup.
Yet another listless batting effort saw them muster 142 for seven off their 20 overs at Sharjah Cricket Stadium but they managed to restrict Bangladesh in the end, medium pacer Andre Russell denying the Asian side the 13 runs required from the final over.
Following heavy defeats to England and South Africa, the victory moved the Caribbean side off the bottom of Group 1 to fifth alongside Sri Lanka and South Africa all on two points, with England and Australia on top with four points apiece.
“This win means a lot to the team. We’re obviously in a do-or-die situation, having to win the last remaining games, so it’s good to start this one off,” all-rounder Jason Holder said afterwards following his first game of the tournament after being called up as an injury replacement.
“It was a close encounter. Nevertheless, we got over the line.
“The last ball that Russell bowled – obviously four runs, one ball to bowl the perfect yorker, which was a dot ball – was phenomenal.
“A lot of jubilation went through my veins especially, and then all the guys obviously played really well.”
Sent in, West Indies were going nowhere at 62 for four in the 13th over before vice-captain Nicholas Pooran arrived to lash a top score of 40 off 22 deliveries and debutant Roston Chase, 39 from 46 deliveries, to rescue the innings.
Not for the first time, West Indies suffered a joyless start when left-handed openers Evin Lewis and Chris Gayle both fell cheaply to leave the innings on 18 for two in the fifth over.
Lewis skied seamer Mustafizur Rahman (2-43) to square leg in the third over for six and Gayle dithered for 10 balls over his four before missing a heave at 20-year-old off-spinner Mahedi Hasan (2-20) and having his stumps shattered, further extending his shocking form with 29 runs from three innings.
Left-hander Shimron Hetmyer holed out to long off off Mahedi in the seventh over for nine but Chase helped restore order, putting on 30 for the fourth wicket with captain Kieron Pollard (14 not out) and 57 in a fifth wicket stand with Pooran.
Pollard retired hurt in the 13th over on eight and when Russell was run out at the non-striker’s end off the very next delivery after fast bowler Taskin Ahmed deflected Chase’s drive onto the stumps, West Indies were tottering.
But Pooran, without a recent score of merit, punched a four and four sixes while Chase stroked two fours to rally the innings, and Holder (15 not out) arrived to launch two sixes in the final over which leaked 19 runs, to provide West Indies with critical momentum.
In reply, Bangladesh struggled early on but got a top score of 44 off 43 balls from Liton Das and a 24-ball unbeaten 31 from Mahmudullah towards the end, to stabilise the innings.
Russell claimed the key wicket of Shakib-al-Hasan in the fifth over for nine, the left-hander miscuing to Holder at mid off and his opening partner Mohammad Naim (17) followed in the sixth over at 29 for two, playing on to Holder.
Das, who notched four fours, then anchored a series of small partnerships to stitch the innings together, adding 31 for the third wicket with Soumya Sarkar (17), 30 for the fourth with Mushfiqur Rahim (8) and 40 for the fifth with Mahmudalluah who belted two fours and a six.
With 22 runs required from the last two overs, veteran all-rounder Dwayne Bravo increased the pressure by conceding just nine from the 19th and getting Das to hole out to Holder in the deep off the last ball, and Russell then held his nerve to subdue the dangerous Mahmudullah.
