Bangladesh registered a comfortable seven-wicket victory with 51 balls to spare against West Indies at The Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton today.
Bangladesh pull off their highest successful ODI chase as blistering knocks from Shakib Al Hasan and Liton Das saw the Tigers coast to victory with seven wickets and 8.3 overs to spare. The Tigers equalled their highest-ever chase after also chasing down 322 against Scotland in 2015.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Bangladesh started off the chase in a steady manner with Tamim Iqbal playing second fiddle to Soumya Sarkar's more aggressive approach. Soumya fell after a fifty-run opening stand but Tamim began to find his feet, closing in on fifty while Shakib Al Hasan at the other end looked fluent from the off. Bangladesh put Windies under the cosh with a 69-run partnership between Tamim and Shakib but when things were looking bright, Tamim fell after a stunning pick-up and direct hit from Sheldon Cottrell off his own bowling. Mushfiqur departed soon after and Tigers looked in trouble. Amidst the uncertainty of who will take Tigers over the ropes, it was Shakib Al Hasan who kept firing in all cylinders. Having reached his fifty off 40 deliveries, he took the run-scoring pressure on himself while Liton Das kept rotating the strike. As Shakib edged closer to his hundred, Liton began to accelerate at the other end. Shakib reached his ninth ODI ton off just 83 deliveries and then Liton soon reached his fifty. Liton proceeded to up the ante hitting three brilliant sixes on the trot off Shannon Gabriel in the 38th over as Tigers looked to finish in a hurry. The duo remained unbeaten during an unbroken 189-run fourth-wicket partnership off 135 deliveries as Tigers coasted to victory. Shakib remained unbeaten on a 99-ball 124 while Liton missed out on a ton after an unbeaten 94 off 69 deliveries.
It was Bangladesh's second victory in this World Cup and after Shakib's first ton had gone in vain against England, his second ton on the trot did not miss the mark. His tasty knock featured 16 fours as he flayed the Windies attack to all corners of the ground. He is now the highest run-getter at this World Cup with 384 runs at an incredible average of 128 from four innings.
41.3, BD- 322/3
That's it, Liton Das with the winning runs for the Tigers and it is fitting that the game ends with a boundary. Liton pulls a short delivery from Gabriel for a boundary. A comfortable seven-wicket victory for the Tigers.
39.1, BD- 301/3
Shakib Al Hasan plays a very sweetly timed straight drive off Gabriel that goes past the bowler and required a diving effort from the fielder to stop it from going to the boundary. However, the batsman comlpetes a double and that brings the 300 up for the Tigers. The two batsmen -- Shakib and Liton Das -- have combined together for 169-run fourth-wicket stand.
34.3, BD 253/3: After Shakib's ton Liton reaches his fifty off 43 deliveries. His ininnings features five fours and a six.
Shakib Al Hasan reached his ninth ODI ton off 83 balls as Tigers look strong in chase of Windies 321.
The all-rounder has traded in boundaries hitting 13 fours. Liton Das has partnered him well at the other end as Bangladesh get closer to their target of 322. The innings also means that Shakib is back at the top highest run getters' list at this World Cup. He becomes only the second Bangladesh player to hit two tons in a single edition of the World Cup after Mahmudullah Riyad.
33.6, BD 248/3: Shakib drives Oshane Thomas for four through the covers to bring up his ton.
32.4, BD 236/3: Liton slashes and slashes hard over Third Man region and the ball floats to the boundary for six. That brings up the 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket between him and Shakib Al Hasan.
28.6, BD 200/3: Liton Das takes a single off Holder to bring the 200 for Bangladesh. This partnership has contibuted well for the Tigers after they lost Tamim and Mushfiqur in quick succession.
Liton Das have come in and scored at a steady rate and along with Shakib Al Hasan featured in a fifty-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Shakib struck Shannon Gabriel straight down the ground in the 28th over to bring up the fifty.
Tigers' hope rests on Shakib Al Hasan and he has not desappointed so far. Liton has rotated the strike well while Shakib is playing his shots with ease. The left-hander hit Shannon Gabriel for three boundaries in the 28th over as Bangladesh reach 192 for three.
Shakib hits fifty off 40
Shakib reaches his fifty off 40 balls with seven fours. Bangladesh have lost their way a bit after a decent start to their chase. Liton Das has joined Shakib in the middle after Mushfiqur Rahim's timid dismissal.
Tigers are stuttering after a great start in their chase of Windies' 321 as Mushfiqur Rahim loses his wicket and follows Tamim Iqbal to the dressing room. Oshane Thomas bowls one down the leg side and Mushfiqur glances it timindly through to the wicket-keeper. Two key wickets for West Indies in this game and at a time where Tigers were going on smoothly. Big loss of momentum here. Shakib Al Hasan is going strong at the other end.
[Wicket] 18.6, BD 133/3: Mushfiqur Rahim c †Hope b Thomas 1 (5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 20.00
[Wicket] 17.3, BD-121/2: Tamim Iqbal run out (Cottrell) 48 (53b 6x4 0x6) SR: 90.56
After Tamim hits a length delivery straight to the bowler, Sheldon Cottrell picks it up and fires it on the stumps. Tamim falls inches short. What an unlucky way to get out.
14.5, BD 108/1
Shakib chops a length ball outside off to take a double that takes him to the landmark of 6,000 runs in ODIs.
13.5, BD 102/1
Tamim Iqbal slaps a short delivery from Shannon Gabriel through extra cover for a boundary. A glorious shot to bring up hundred for the Tigers.
End of over 10, BD- 70/1
After the two openers Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar had combined for a fifty-run opening stand before the latter was dismissed, Bangladesh have amassed 70 runs for the loss of a single wicket from the first 10 overs.
[Wicket] 8.2, BD- 52/1: Soumya Sarkar c Gayle b Russell 29 (23b 2x4 2x6) SR: 126.08
After hitting a six off the previous delivery from Andre Russell, Soumya Sarkar falls in the next one as he tries to plays it over the slip but only as far as Gayle who takes a comfortable catch. First wicket goes for the Tigers.
The ball is definitely seaming around and there is good bounce for the pacers early on in the Bangladesh innings. Both Sheldon Cottrell and Jason Holder have gotten some movement to trouble the Tigers opening duo but Soumya Sarkar has played some magnificent shots including a six square off the leg side against Cottrell to take the pressure off Tamim, who has had a slightly shaky start. Bangladesh are 34 for no loss after 5 overs.
Windies post 321 for 8 against Tigers
West Indies put on a massive total on the board against Bangladesh at Taunton courtesy of Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer. Hope missed out on his ton, falling to Mustafizur in the 47th over after scoring 96 but it was his ability to rotate the strike and play the anchor role, that allowed the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Jason Holder to play stormy knocks. Hetmyer fell to Mustafizur Rahman after a 26-ball 50 and the cutter master then bagged Andre Russell in the same over to bring Bangladesh back into the match. Captain Holder also played some big shots as Windies in the end stormed towards a challenging total. In the death overs, Mustafizur played a big hand to keep the Windies score below 330-mark. Fizz and Saifuddin bagged three wickets each while Shakib Al Hasan bagged two for Bangladesh. The target for Bangladesh is 322.
[Wicket] 49.6, WI 321/8 -- DM Bravo b Mohammad Saifuddin 19 (15b 0x4 2x6) SR: 126.66
Mohammad Saifuddin bags his third wicket in the last delivery of the 50th over as Windies post 321 for 8 against Bangladesh at Tunton.
[Wicket] 46.6, WI- 297/7: SD Hope c Liton Das b Mustafizur Rahman 96 (121b 4x4 1x6) SR: 79.33
Shai Hope shuffles across the crease and tries to go for a boundary with a flick of his legs but only finds the fielder at deep backward square. Hope misses out on his ton, falling just three runs short of the three-figure mark.
Jason Holder came in and connected everything racing to a 14-ball 33 before he skied Saifuddin to fall in the 44th overs as Windies lose their sixth wicket, however, they are still on course for a big total.
[Wicket] 43.3, WI 282/6 - JO Holder c Mahmudullah b Mohammad Saifuddin 33 (15b 4x4 2x6) SR: 220.00
Mustafizur strikes twice in the same over and after removing Shimron Hetmyer, the cutter master bowls an incredible delivery to remove Andre Russell for naught.
[Wicket] 39.6, WI 243/5 - AD Russell c †Mushfiqur Rahim b Mustafizur Rahman 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
West Indies are taking the game away from the Tigers. While Shai Hope has remained steady at one end, it is Shimron Hetmyer who was causing massive damage at Taunton before falling to Mustafizur Rahman.
Since Hetmyer came in, West Indies have scored at 12 runs per over. 80 off 40 deliveries since the left-hander started attacking. He reached his fifty in just 25 deliveries, an innings laced with four fours and three sixes. The left-hander then tried to hit Mustafizur Rahman out of the small ground at Taunton but mistimed it slightly and Tamim Iqbal ran in from deep mid-wicket to take a fantastic catch.
[Wicket] 39.3, WI 242/4 SO Hetmyer c Tamim Iqbal b Mustafizur Rahman 50 (26b 4x4 3x6) SR: 192.30
35.4, WI- 204/3
Hetmyer just dispatched a Mohammad Saifuddin delivery over long leg for a huge six. That also brings up the double hundred for the West Indies.
[Wicket] 32.2, WI- 159/3: N Pooran c Soumya Sarkar b Shakib Al Hasan 25 (30b 2x4 1x6) SR: 83.33
Shakib strikes again. This time it is Nicholas Pooran who goes down on one knee and tries to slog-sweep it but gets it in the toe end of the bat. A comfortable catch by Soumya Sarkar at long-on.
End of over 30, WI- 151/2
Pooran struck a massive six in the second ball of the over. That's hit the roof and made a hole in it! That also brings the 150 up for the West Indies.
27.3, WI- 133/2
Shai Hope steers one Mehedi Hasan Miraz delivery to the right of the point and takes a single to reach his fifty off 75 balls.
[Wicket] 24.3, WI-122/2: E Lewis c sub (Sabbir Rahman) b Shakib Al Hasan 70 (67b 6x4 2x6) SR: 104.47
After hitting Shakib for a huge six in the first ball of the over, Lewis tries to go big again. But this time he ends up slicing it to long off. Shakib breaks the cruicial partnership.
Lewis smashes fifty as WI cross hundred
22.4, WI 100/1
Shai Hope drives one to the long off and takes a single. Hundred comes up for the West Indies.
22.1, WI 95/1
West Indies opener Evin Lewis plays a tossed up delivery from Shakib Al Hasan to long off and takes a single to reach his fifty off 58 balls.
13.4, WI 56/1 - After an early hiccup, West Indies have consolidated with Evin Lewis and Shai Hope as the duo combined in a important fifty partnership. Hope flicks Mehedi for a single to bring up the fifty partnership for the second wicket.
Lewis has looked calm under pressure and did not back down when given opportunities. He is a dangerman for Bangladesh as he has the ability to take the game to any opposition.
West Indies have weathered the early storm and Evin Lewis and Shai Hope are in command of the situation after Chris Gayle's wicket early on. After 11 overs, WI are 42 for 1.
Hope 13* (23b) 4x2 6x0
Lewis 24* (30) 4x2 6x1
Bangladesh have started proceedings brightly here as Chris Gayle fell for naught after facing 13 deliveries.
[Wicket] 3.2, WI 6/1 - CH Gayle c †Mushfiqur Rahim b Mohammad Saifuddin 0 (13b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
Angled delivery from Saifuddin and it just holds its line for a fraction before shaping away and entises Gayle to poke at the delivery. Ball takes the edge and Mushfiqur takes a diving catch. Tremendous start in a vital game.
Bangladesh have won the toss and opted to bowl first against the West Indies at The Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton today.
There's a very good news for the fans. Our reporter, Sakeb Subhan from Taunton informed that the weather is very good a with only a very little chance of rain today.
Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza informed that there is only one change in Tigers' line-up today.
"We have been practicing continuously for the last four-five days, so the boys are well prepared. Liton Das comes in for Mithun." said Mashrafe after the toss.
Bangladesh have so far accumulated three points from the four games they played in the mega event and the Tigers will be desperate to get victory today in order to keep their semifinal hopes alive.
Playing XIs:
Bangladesh: 1 Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mahmudullah, Liton Das, Mosaddek Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Mustafizur Rahman
West Indies: Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope (wk), Darren Bravo, Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell, Jason Holder (capt), Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas, Shannon Gabriel
Here we look at the preview by The Daily Star reporters direct from Taunton ahead of today's game.
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