‘I'm still not an all-rounder’

Bangladesh clinched the three-match ODI series 2-0 against Ireland with a stunning bowling performance in Chelmsford on Sunday.

Player-of-the-match Mustafizur Rahman turned hero with a four-for but young Hasan Mahmud hogged the spotlight most for his stupendous final over as Bangladesh beat the hosts by five runs.

Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal highly praised his bowling unit after five-run win in the third and final ODI. "The confidence the bowling team will get from this victory is incredible. Really happy for all the bowlers as they did the job perfectly. Wasn't easy defending 274 on this ground," he said.

Ireland, however, were also outdone by Tamim's captaincy. Tamim gambled with part-time off-spin of Najmul Hossain Shanto and it was paid off. Harry Tector miscued a pull slightly which Liton Das at long on did well to hold on to break the 65-ball-79 run-stand.

"I'm still not an all-rounder but Tamim probably now believes I can bowl," Shanto, who was adjudged man-of-the-series, said during a post-match presentation.

"I just followed my process. I practised a lot with Herath [Rangana] and things came off. The captain had told me I'll bowl, Miraz [Mehedi Hasan] helped me a lot while bowling. I followed his instructions. I didn't ask for the ball today but have asked him to bowl me. I try to follow Mehidy's action but can't follow it properly," he added.

Shanto also said that his maiden ODI hundred in the series was more special. "The first hundred is more special, I hope I can continue my batting form."