(ESPN Cricinfo) – West Indies coasted to a seven-wicket win against Bangladesh in St Kitts to claim the three-match ODI series.
It was West Indies’ first ODI series win against Bangladesh in ten years. They had won the last four ODI series between the two sides too. West Indies had on Sunday broken Bangladesh’s 11-match winning streak against them in the first ODI.
Jayden Seales’ career-best figures of 4 for 22 led the home side’s bowling efforts as they bowled out the visitors for 227 in 45.5 overs. Brandon King then struck a rapid 82 to accelerate West Indies’ chase, as they completed the win in 36.5 overs. Captain Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford, who struck 113 in the first game, were the unbeaten batters who completed the game.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, has won just one out of their last six ODI series, while West Indies have turned around their fortunes in the format. They have now won consecutive ODI series after beating England last month. They had lost ODI series against Australia and Sri Lanka earlier in the year.
Seales gave West Indies the foundation for this win. He dealt three early blows before Gudakesh Motie’s solid 2 for 36 kept Bangladesh on a leash for much of the middle overs. Bangladesh could only make a 200-plus total, mainly due to a 92-run stand between Mahmudullah and Tanzid Hasan. It is a new record for the eighth wicket for Bangladesh. Mahmudullah’s 62 was also his third consecutive fifty in ODIs.
Before Seales took his wickets, Bangladesh got off to a rapid start when Tanzid struck debutant Marquino Mindley for two fours and as many sixes in the first three overs. Seales broke through soon, getting Soumya Sarkar caught at mid-on for two. Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz then followed Soumya in the first powerplay, both falling to Seales. Litton plodded along for four off 18 balls before his attempted pull shot was much too early, as it took the toe of the bat and lobbed to point.
Seales then caught Mehidy in two minds, as he tried to leave the ball, but it took the inside edge and on to the stumps. Tanzid had kept Bangladesh going at the other end, but he couldn’t convert another start into a big one. After striking Justin Greaves for two fours in the eleventh over, he fell in the same over, caught at point. It was similar to how Tanzid fell in the first ODI.
Afif then started well, hitting Romario Shepherd for four boundaries, lofting him twice over his head and once over cover. Attempting a similar hit off Motie, however, Afif fell to a catch at long-off for 24.
Jaker Ali and Rishad Hossain Motie then followed quickly and cheaply. Motie trapped Jaker lbw for three, before Rishad became Mindley’s first ODI wicket, falling for a duck.
West Indies were making it look like a cakewalk as they reduced Bangladesh to 115 for seven at this stage. Mahmudullah, who had struck one six till that point, had to trust Tanzid, who previously had a first-class fifty to his name. Tanzim looked determined as he struck two fours before launching Motie for his first six over long-on. Mahmudullah had struck two sixes till that point. The pair then hammered Greaves for a six and a four in consecutive overs, before repeating the same dose a few overs later on the same bowler.
Roston Chase ended the partnership in the 44th over when he caught Tanzid off his own bowling. It was a fine effort from the young cricketer, hitting six boundaries in his 62-ball stay.
Mahmudullah followed Tanzid back to the pavilion in the next over, bizarrely hitting Seales’ wide delivery down deep point’s throat. His 62 came off 92 balls, including two fours and four sixes. It is only the second time in his career that Mahmudullah scored three fifties in a row in ODIs.
When the home side replied to Bangladesh’s 227, King got off to a strong start with five boundaries in the first seven overs, hitting the ball well square on both sides of the pitch. He moved to 26, while Lewis languished on six off 23 balls. Finally, in the ninth over, Lewis struck Tanzim for three boundaries, including a flat six over long-leg.
Lewis struck Mehidy for a huge hit down the ground in the 14th over before getting dropped next ball, when Soumya, who couldn’t hold on to a difficult chance. Lewis was on 29 at the time. After King reached his half-century off 52 balls in the 16th over, Lewis slammed Mehidy for his third six shortly afterwards. His fourth was a bit of a revenge against Rana, who had struck him in the unmentionables during the 20th over.
The pair completed their second century opening partnership this year. King has been involved in the West Indies’ last five century opening stands. This one ended when Lewis, still reeling from that Rana blow, gave Rishad a caught-and-bowled after making 49 off 62 balls.
The wicket didn’t seem to lift Bangladesh, who promptly conceded five runs in overthrows. Litton conceded four byes also. Keacy Carty took advantage of their errors, hitting five boundaries while King slammed three sixes in a short spell. He launched Rishad twice, apart from lifting Tanzim down the ground and on to the roof of the pavilion building.
King fell to a Rana yorker in the 29th over. The long shadow of one of the light towers on the pitch could be a reason for King missing that ball, but he walked off quietly after adding 66 runs for the second wicket with Carty. King struck eight fours and three sixes in his 76-ball stay. Carty fell soon after King, slicing a catch to Rana off Afif Hossain, after making 45 off 47 balls. Rutherford and Hope blazed Rishad for a four and a six, respectively, in his eighth over.
Rutherford played out the final rites of the series when he disdainfully swung Shoriful Islam over square-leg for two sixes in the 37th over to complete the win.