Clinical Bangladesh thrash Ireland by 10 wickets
Liton Das and Tamim Iqbal made quick work of the puny target set by Ireland to power Bangladesh to their first ever 10-wicket win in a One-Day International (ODI) at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Liton and Tamim remained unbeaten on 50 off 38 balls and 41 off 41 balls respectively and Bangladesh reached 102-0 in just 13.1 overs, their second biggest win in terms of balls in hand.
Earlier, it was the pace trio led by Hasan Mahmud that set the stage for Bangladesh’s thumping victory.
Hasan claimed his maiden five-wicket haul, 5-32, while Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain took three and two wickets respectively to bundle out Ireland for just 101 in 28.1 overs.
This is the first time Bangladesh have bundled out an opposition in ODIs where all 10 wickets were captured by pacers.
For the Irish, only Curtis Campher and Lorcan Tucker could get into double figures and their brief but fighting innings helped Ireland somehow cross the 100-run mark.
Chasing a meagre target, Tamim and Liton looked in control from the start, never looked in any trouble on the same pitch where the Irish batters were finding life difficult just a little while ago.
Earlier, Ireland, asked Bangladesh to bowl first, a decision they later went onto rue.
Hasan started the rout with a fiery opening spell which yielded three wickets. Hasan opened the bowling alongside Taskin and relentlessly tested the Irish openers in his initial overs.
Their persistence paid off in the fifth over, when he got Stephen Doheny caught behind for eight off 21 balls.
Hasan then trapped Paul Stirling (seven off 12 balls) and Harry Tector (0) caught leg before wicket in the same over to reduce Ireland to 22-3 inside nine overs.
Taskin then worsened Ireland’s situation, dismissing skipper Andrew Balbirnie (six off 18 balls) in the following over, inducing a catch to Najmul Hossain Shanto at first slip.
Ireland were teetering on 26-4 and staring at potentially their lowest ever total in ODIs when Campher and Lorcan Tucker joined hands. The duo stopped the free fall of wickets and added 42 runs for the fifth wicket.
But just when the tourists were looking a bit settled, Ebadot disrupted their progress with a double strike.
Ebadot bowled a vicious in-swinging fuller length delivery that evaded the inside edge of Tucker’s bat and struck him on the foot.
The on-field umpire was quick to signal out, which the Irish batter reviewed unsuccessfully.
In the very next ball, Ebadot beat George Dockrell by sheer pace and shattered his stumps.
Taskin then dismissed Andy McBrine (one off seven balls) and Mark Adair (0) in space of three deliveries to reduce Ireland to 79-8.
Campher took Ireland close to the 100-run mark, before an ill-fated attempt at a pull shot against Hasan, which went straight to Hasan.
With the win, Bangladesh win the three-match series 2-0.
The hosts won the first ODI by 183 runs, their biggest win in terms of runs. The second match was rained out after Bangladesh posted 349-6, their highest total in ODIs.