Shakib’s unbeaten 68 in vain as Windies clinch second T20I

Losing wickets at inopportune moments once again led to Bangladesh's downfall. Shakib Al Hasan played a lone hand, scoring a fifty and writing his name in the record books but his innings came in vain as Windies clinched the second T20I at Dominica by 35 runs. With the victory, Windies take a 1-0 lead before the third and final T20I on July 7.

Anamul Haque Bijoy and Liton Das came to open the innings for the Tigers in chase of West Indies' score of 193 for 5 and the duo fell on back-to-back delvieries in the second over by Obed McCoy. Liton chipped one straight down the throat of the fielder at deep backward square leg and Bijoy then dragged the next delivery back on to his stumps. Mahmudullah Riyad ensured there was no hattrick for McCoy as he left the next delivery alone.

Riyad showed positive intent with a four and six off Odean Smith but then perished, unable to clear the fielder at mid off to depart for 11 off 7 deliveries.

Shakib Al Hasan and Afif Hossain stitched together a 55-run fourth wicket stand with both utilising the pace on the deliveries to find a few boundaries. Afif looked good during his 34 off 27 deliveries, laced with three fours and a six but with the required run-rate going up every over, he got the faintest of tickles on a Romario Shephard delivery while he was trying to help it over fine leg and was caught by Nicholas Pooran.

Windies did not concede a boundary from 10th over onwards and it led to Nurul Hasan's wicket as he was holed out at square leg after a 13-ball 7 off the bowling of Akeal Hosein.

With 95 runs needed off the last 30 deliveries, the equation was almost out of reach. Shakib exhibited some of his own power-hitting options late in his innings, hitting Smith and McCoy for big sixes but it was too little too late in the end. Shakib's hitting saw 44 runs come between 17th and 19th over as he picked up his 10th T20I fifty.

For a period of 45 deliveries, no boundaries came and that his where the game slipped out of the Tigers' hand while there was no other batter who could considerably leave an impact alongside Shakib after Afif's dismissal.

Mosaddek Hossain was the final wicket to fall, out caught-behind after a 11-ball 15. Shakib remained unbeaten on 68 off 52 deliveries with five fours and three sixes. He became the first cricketer to score 2000runs and bag 100 wickets in T20Is with his knock as Bangladesh reached 158 for six falling short by 35 runs.