Shakib-Mushfiq-Shanto hit fifties, still Bangladesh all out for 246

Despite half-centuries from Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim and Najmul Hossain Shanto Bangladesh got bundled out for a below par 246 in the third One-Day International (ODI) against England at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Monday.

Shakib hit a fighting 75 off 71 balls, Mushfiq made 70 off 93 balls and Shanto scored 53 off 71 balls but the Tigers still failed to cross the 250-run mark after opting to bat first.

For England, pacer Jofra Archer claimed 3-35 while Sam Curran and Adil Rashid took two wickets each.

Bangladesh’s innings started in a disastrous manner, courtesy of pacer Curran.

Curran removed Liton Das for a duck for the second consecutive match and also got the wicket of skipper Tamim Iqbal for just 11 off six balls to reduce the Tigers to 17-2 inside three overs.

Shanto and Mushfiq then got together and added 98 runs for the third wicket off 129 balls to put the innings back on track.

Shanto completed his second half-century of the series off 69 balls and was looking well set for a big score before losing his wicket in an unfortunate manner.

The left-hander nudged the third delivery of the 25th over from debutant leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed to the leg-side. Mushfiq from the non-striker’s end immediately started for the run while Shanto stood his ground, telling him to go back.

But seeing that the veteran batter had made up his mind for the single, Shanto also started sprinting to the other end, put in a desperate dive but couldn’t make his ground in time.

Mushfiq, who had not scored a fifty-plus innings in his last nine ODIs, completed his half-century in the following over and hung around for a little longer, forming a 38-run fourth wicket partnership with Shakib.

Mushfiq then lost his wicket after completely misreading a googly from Adil Rashid, which crashed onto his stumps.

Rashid got hit for a six in his following over by Mahmudullah (eight) but had the last laugh, by rattling his stumps in the same over, reducing Bangladesh to 163-5 inside 35 overs.

Shakib then took over the innings, hitting seven fours in a well-paced knock while Bangladesh kept losing wickets at the other end.

Shakib eventually departed as the ninth Bangladesh batter, when Jason Roy took a brilliant running catch at the long off boundary off Archer.

The Bangladesh innings folded the very next ball, when he struck Mustafizur Rahman (0) on the pads and appealed for an LBW, which the on-field umpire denied but the third umpire upheld after an England review.

Bangladesh is playing for pride in the third ODI after having already lost the series with defeats in the first two ODIs.