Tamim, Shakib, Mortaza help Bangladesh draw 1st blood at Providence

West Indies v Bangladesh 1st ODI at Providence…

By Clifton Ross

Opener Tamim Iqbal punched his 10th One-Day International (ODI) century while Shakib Al Hasan narrowly missed out on his own as Bangladesh crushed the Windies by 48 runs in Sunday’s opening match at the Providence National Stadium, Guyana.
After losing the Test series 2-0, the Tigers resumed their winning ways in a format which is more tailored to their style of cricket, as they outplayed the Caribbean side in the first of three ODIs in the series.
It was a mixture of grit and aggression as Iqbal ended on 130 off 160 balls with 10 fours and three sixes. He shared a resurgent and revitalising second-wicket stand of 207 with Shakib Al Hasan, who hit six fours in his 97 to take the Tigers to 279-4

in 50 overs.
It was hard work for the Windies bowlers as the misfielded and dropped catches added to the bowlers’ turmoil. Spinner Devendra Bishoo ended with 2-52 in a brave effort. The Caribbean side who looked spot on in the Tests, were unable to channel the same fire the Tigers did in their innings and were kept to 231-9 in 50 overs.
Skipper Mashrafe Mortaza was the pick of the bowlers, returning to the team in a match-winning way.
Guyanese Shimron Hetmyer resisted with a top-score of 52, followed by Chris Gayle with 40, and 29 apiece from the unbeaten tail-end stars Bishoo and Alzarri Joseph as their 50-partnership ended prematurely. Bangladesh’s star pacer Mustafizur Rahman returned to action with 2-27.
Windies’ chase got underway with some feisty shots from Evin Lewis (17), who looked dangerous but played a soft shot and was easily caught by Mahmudullah to give the Bangladesh skipper his first wicket.
A circumspect-looking Gayle was then joined by Shai Hope, who also appeared a bit watchful, but the “Universe Boss” would soon get into the action when he thumped off-spinner Mehedy Hasan Miraz for his first six. Mosaddek Hossain would then manage another breakthrough when he trapped Hope LBW for just six runs.
Homeboy Hetmyer joined Gayle with the score at 41-2 and the left-hander quickly secured his first boundary thanks to a classy pull through mid-wicket off Hossain which also took Windies well past 50 in the 15th over. Gayle’s and Hetmyer’s partnership ended with a mix-up as the former was run out thanks to some clinical work between Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain.
Jason Mohammed had a brief stay at the crease, departing stumped for 10 by Mushfiqur Rahim off the bowling of Mehedy. Unfazed by the previous dismissals, the Berbician Hetmyer pleased his Guyanese crowd when he raised his bat to acknowledge a solid fifty under pressure.
His demise came at the hands of Sabbir Rahman, who was operating with such precision that he went on a hat-trick after he followed up his first wicket with that of Rovman Powell, who edged a moving delivery into the gloves of wicket-keeper Rahman.
The wheels began to fall off the Caribbean wagon as Holder who smashed a six off his opposite number Mortaza, was then removed the following ball by the Bangladeshi skipper for 17. After hitting a six and four and looking ominous, Andre Russell (13) became Mortaza’s third victim.
The Windies innings eventually came to a screeching halt when Mortaza removed Nurse for seven, but Bishoo and Joseph counterpunched with a last-wicket partnership of 59 not out, the best for their team, but in vain.

Bangladesh’s batting redemption
Batting first on an overcast morning, Bangladesh opener Anamul Haque perished to Holder for a three-ball duck, holding out to Ashley Nurse as the weather quickly changed, stopping play briefly before covers were back off. After resumption of play, things were steady for the tourists with the senior pair of Iqbal and Shakib at the crease. The first boundary of the Tigers innings came compliments of Iqbal, who crunched Russell through the covers.
Joseph managed to spark the hopes of another dismissal as Iqbal was put down in the covers during the 11 over, spurring a series of missed opportunities with Tamim surviving back-to-back drops. The first off Nurse went past both the wicket-keeper and slipsman Gayle, then Gayle had one pop out of his clutches off the bowling of Joseph.
The two senior players shook off the near misses and raised Bangladesh’s as well as their own 50 in the 14th over. The duo settled in nicely and kept their running between the wickets on point, as they kept the occasional boundaries coming. A smashing drive back over Nurse’s head saw the Bangladeshis register their first maximum, courtesy of Ibqal, who was just a few shy of fifty.
After a nightmare start and multiple dropped catches, the visitors put on a 100 with the pair also reaching their century partnership. Not long after, Iqbal reached another ODI half-century while his partner Shakib followed soon after as he reached his career 16th fifty with a four off Bishoo.
Boundaries continued to flow from both ends with the Caribbean side’s bowlers having to tussle and toil during their spells. Shakib looked on course to a ton, but played an uncultured shot that was swallowed by Hetmyer, just three short of a hundred.
The flurry of boundaries increased after Iqbal reached his hundred, the Windies bowlers haemorrhaged a number of boundaries as Iqbal and Rahim found the ropes and beyond.
Rahim hammered Holder for two fours and a six before Russell disappeared a few times the following over courtesy of Iqbal. Rahim’s onslaught of 30 off 10 ended after he attempted a reverse paddle, but picked out a diving Bishoo, as Mahmudullah pulled the last ball for four to end their innings.
The second of two ODIs will bowl off at Providence on Wednesday, July 25 from 14:30h.