Seales and Hosein take West Indies to victory in 1st T20i vs Bangladesh courtesy of their powerplay mastery.
Seales and Hosein boss powerplay as West Indies go 1-0 up.
In the inaugural Twenty20 International in Chattogram, West Indies captain Shai Hope spearheaded a batting comeback that helped his team defeat Bangladesh by 16 runs. The visitors were able to reach 165 for 3 thanks to a late rush of sixes from Hope and Rovman Powell, who was playing in his 100th Twenty20 International. Bangladesh was bowled out for 149 after falling to 42 for 4 in the powerplay.
Akeal Hosein claimed two wickets during the powerplay, while Jason Holder and Jayden Seales both claimed three.
However, the triumph was made possible by Hope and Powell’s uninterrupted 83-run partnership for the fourth wicket. With a four and four sixes, Hope amassed an undefeated 46 off 28 balls. Powell’s stats were comparable; he faced 28 balls, smashed four sixes and a four, and finished undefeated on 44.
Bangladesh had a strong ball start. Around Nasum Ahmed’s four overs, they came together. Despite going wicketless, the left-arm spinner only gave up 15 runs in his quota, keeping the West Indies quiet. Athanaze missed a reverse sweep and was bowled for 34 by Rishad Hossain. King was then dismissed by Taskin Ahmed, who caught him at deep square leg for 33.
Sherfane Rutherford’s experience with Bangladesh continued after Taskin took his wicket. He was caught behind and tumbled first ball this time. Hope hit a few sixes at this point, but the West Indies were unable to increase the scoring pace. The fifteenth over was another frugal over that Nasum used to end his spell.
Hope then hit two sixes to chase Rishad, but with three overs left, the visitors appeared to be far short of a respectable total. To begin the 18th over, Hope hit a Taskin half-volley for his fourth six. With seven balls left in the innings, Powell eventually middled one.
In the final over, he hit Tanzim Hasan for three straight sixes after slog-sweeping Mustafizur Rahman for a 102-meter six. After slamming Tanzim’s full-toss, he immediately attacked the next two. West Indies changed the course of the match by scoring 51 runs in the final three overs.
Hope then hit two sixes to chase Rishad, but with three overs left, the visitors appeared to be far short of a respectable total. To begin the 18th over, Hope hit a Taskin half-volley for his fourth six. With seven balls left in the innings, Powell eventually middled one.
In the final over, he hit Tanzim Hasan for three straight sixes after slog-sweeping Mustafizur Rahman for a 102-meter six. After slamming Tanzim’s full-toss, he immediately attacked the next two. West Indies changed the course of the match by scoring 51 runs in the final three overs.
Bangladesh pursued 166 runs with all of their might. Romario Shepherd made a spectacular catch while running back from mid-on, while Tanzid Hasan, who was aiming for a shot-per-ball, only lasted five balls. Akeal Hosein seized the ball to halt the Bangladeshi skipper after Litton Das hit a soft shot. Hosein took a return catch blindly behind the non-striker standing close to Litton, who was caught between two thoughts.
In the following over, Hosein attempted a sweep and had Saif Hassan caught at short fine leg. By the end of the powerplay, Bangladesh’s final two specialist hitters were at the crease, and West Indies had made some progress when Holder removed Shamim Hossain in the fifth over by clipping off his off-bail.
When Nurul Hasan was bowled off the inside edge by Khary Pierre in the ninth over, the hosts kept losing. After losing to Seales in the 12th over, Towhid Hridoy joined the procession. In his 28 off 25 balls, he only hit two fours.
Bangladesh’s hopes were maintained when Tanzim Hasan hit three fours and a six in his 33 off 27 balls. Together with Nasum, he scored 40 runs for the seventh wicket before Holder caught him at deep point in the sixteenth over. After Nasum hit another boundary to keep the fire going, Seales took his third wicket in the next over.
Rishad miscued one to far off, but Holder put an end to his threat. After sending Holder flying out of the ground in the eighteenth over, Taskin stood on the stumps in the last over, ending the innings.