B’desh win 1st away series in nine years

Basseterre ( Saint Kitts and Nevis), July 29: Bangladesh held off a late charge from the West Indies to claim a seriesclinching 18- run win in the decisive third and final match of their one- day international duel at Warner Park in St Kitts on Saturday.

After Tamim Iqbal’s second hundred of the series and a quickfire unbeaten half- century by Mahmudullah paced the visitors to a formidable 301/ 6, the hosts were restricted to 283/ 6 in reply despite a rampaging unbeaten 74 off just 41 balls by Rovman Powell.

It was Bangladesh’s first series win outside of Asia for nine years, set up by their highest total in an ODI against the West Indies.

With the series all square following the hosts’ thrilling three- run win in the second match under lights in Guyana on Wednesday, Bangladesh set the pace in this decider with their top- order batting justifying the decision by captain Mashrafe Mortaza to bat first after he won the toss for the third consecutive time.

Tamim’s confident 103 off 124 balls with seven fours and two sixes again provided his team with a solid foundation, his innings lifting his tally in the three matches to 287 runs at an outstanding average of 143.5.

He was the obvious choice as both man of the match and man of the series. “We put a lot of effort in this series after Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal c K. Powell b Bishoo 103, Anamul Haque c K. Powell b Holder 10, Shakib Al Hasan c Paul b Nurse 37, Mushfiqur Rahim b Nurse 12, Mahmudullah ( not out) 67, Mashrafe Mortaza c Gayle b Holder 36, Sabbir Rahman c Lewis b Cottrell 12, Mosaddek Hossain ( not out) 11. Extras: ( lb1, w11, nb1) 13. Total: ( for 6 wkts, in 50 overs) 301. FoW: 1- 35, 2- 116, 3- 152, 4200, 5- 253, 6- 279. Bowling: Cottrell 9- 0- 59- 1, Holder 10- 0- 55- 2, Bishoo 10- 1- 42- 1, Paul 9- 0- 77- 0, Nurse 10- 1- 53- 2, Gayle 20- 14- 0.

West Indies: C. Gayle c Mehidy Hasan b Rubel Hossain 73, E. Lewis c Mushfiqur Rahim b Mashrafe Mortaza 13, S. Hope c Shakib Al Hasan b Mashrafe Mortaza 64, S. Hetmyer b Mehidy Hasan 30, K. Powell ( run out) 4, R. Powell ( not out) 74, J. Holder c Rubel Hossain b Mustafizur Rahman 9, A. Nurse ( not out) 5. Extras: ( lb3, w8) 11. Total: ( for 6 wkts, in 50 overs) 283. FoW: 1- 53, 2- 105, 3- 172, 4179, 5- 224, 6- 262. Bowling: Mashrafe Mortaza 10- 0- 63- 2, Mehidy Hasan 10- 0- 45- 1, Mustafizur Rahman 10- 063- 1, Mosaddek Hossain 10- 10- 0, Mahmudullah 2- 020- 0, Rubel Hossain 7- 034- 1, Shakib al Hasan 100- 45- 0.

the disappointments of the Test matches,” said Tamim.