(ESPN Cricinfo) – Bangladesh defended their modest score of 129 to clinch the T20I series with a 2-0 lead, beating West Indies by 27 runs in the second game at the Arnos Vale Ground in St. Vincent.
It was Bangladesh’s lowest total winning a game while batting first against West Indies. It was a combined effort from their quicks and spinners, who took advantage of a pitch that offered a lot to the bowlers throughout the game.
Bangladesh was stretched to their total by Shamim Hossain’s late blast, hitting an unbeaten 35 off 17 balls. The bowlers responded superbly thereafter, with Taskin Ahmed taking three wickets while Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, and Tanzim Hasan all taking two each. Bangladesh’s only concern was Soumya Sarkar suffering a finger injury when he dropped a catch in the slips in the seventh over of the chase. Otherwise, Bangladesh was all over West Indies, having reduced them to 42 for 6 in the ninth over.
Taskin, Mahedi make the early strikes
Taskin Ahmed provided the first breakthrough in the third over when he had Brandon King caught behind for 8 with a beautiful delivery outside off. Four balls later, Taskin had Andre Fletcher caught behind too, for his second consecutive duck in the series.
This one was wider, but Fletcher got beaten by pace, under-edging to wicketkeeper Litton Das. Mahedi, who took career-best figures of 4 for 13 in the first T20I, then got into the act.
He trapped Johnson Charles lbw in the fourth over, as the hosts slipped to 28 for 3.
In his next over, Mahedi got Nicholas Pooran caught at slip, where Soumya Sarkar didn’t have to move as Pooran’s probe at a length ball took the outer edge and went to him softly.
