Ireland registered a consolation victory over Bangladesh, defeating the hosts by a resounding margin of seven wickets in the third and final match of the series at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Friday.
The aggressive approach that paid dividends in the previous two matches, blew up on the Bangladesh team’s face in the third T20, as the hosts got bundled out for a meagre 124 in 19.2 overs.
Bangladesh could get over the 100-run mark only because of Shamim Hossain’s 51 off 42 balls, the all-rounder’s maiden fifty in international cricket.
For Ireland, seven bowlers made it into the wicket-takers column with Mark Adair topping the chart with three wickets.
In reply, Ireland captain Paul Stirling, who had had a quiet series up until the third match, made 77 off 41 balls to ensure Ireland would reach 126-3 in 14 overs.
For Bangladesh, three bowlers claimed a wicket each with debutant leg-spinner Rishad Hossain also opening his account in international cricket.
Chasing a small target, Ireland looked in control from the start thanks to Stirling.
The right-hander lost two partners in the powerplay– Ross Adair (seven off nine balls) and Lorcan Tucker (four off seven)– but made sure Ireland finished on 47-2 after six overs.
Stirling kept attacking the Bangladesh bowlers, hitting 10 fours and four sixes in his dominant innings. Stirling’s assault ended when he skied a shot against Rishad, which was well caught by Najmul Hossain Shanto at the boundary.
But Stirling’s wicket didn’t cause any problems for Ireland, who needed just 15 runs off 47 balls to win.
Curtis Campher (16 not out off nine balls) hit a four and a six off Taskin Ahmed to complete the comprehensive victory with 36 balls to spare.
Earlier, Bangladesh innings started off on the right foot, with Liton Das and Rony Talukdar getting off the mark with fours in the first over.
But the partnership which made 124 in the previous match, ended for nine in the second over when Liton slashed an innocuous looking ball from Adair straight to George Dockrell at deep point.
A procession of soft dismissals then followed as Rony (14 off 10 balls), Najmul Hossain Shanto (four off eight) and Shakib Al Hasan (six off six) gifted their wickets to the tourists as Bangladesh were teetering at 41-4 after powerplay.
Towhid Hridoy (12 off 10) tried to hit Ben White for a six in the seventh over, but mistimed the shot badly and ended up giving a simple catch to Harry Tector.
Debutant Rishad offered some support for Shamim, as they added 20 runs for the seventh wicket, before the right hander lost his poles while attempting a slog sweep against Humphreys, departing for eight off seven balls.
Taskin Ahmed departed the same over for a duck trying to hit a six over cow corner.
Shamim and Nasum then formed the biggest partnership of the match, 33 runs off 34 balls.
After Nasum got caught off 13 off 17 balls, Shamim played a few expansive shots to complete his maiden half-century in T20 internationals, with the help of five fours and two sixes and pushed Bangladesh’s score over 100.
Shamim was the last batter to depart, when his pull shot against Fionn Hand went straight to Dockrell at backward square leg.
Despite the defeat, Bangladesh take the series 2-1.
Bangladesh had also won the preceding One-Day International (ODI) series against the same opponent 2-0.
Both teams will now travel to Dhaka to play a one-odd Test, the first ever between the two sides, from 4 April.