Taunton: All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan struck a magnificient unbeaten 124 to help Bangladesh record a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over the West Indies and script the second highest successful run chase in World Cup history here on Monday.
The 32-year-old Shakib (124 off 99 balls) produced a batting master class as he led Bangladesh to a famous win, chasing down the target of 322 with 8.3 overs to spare. He also took 2 wickets for 54 runs while bowling during the West Indies innings. Liton Das also played a big part in the win as he remained not out on 94 off just 69 balls in a brilliant batting show. He hit 8 fours and 4 sixes in his knock.
The Shakib-Das stand for the unbroken fourth wicket yielded 189 runs from 22.3 overs to take Bangladesh to 322 for 3 in 41.3 overs and notch up their second win in the tournament after their 21-run victory over South Africa on June 2.
The highest successful run chase in World Cup history was the 329 for 7 by Ireland to beat England in the 2011 World Cup in Bengaluru while Bangladesh have also earlier managed 322 batting second, against Scotland in 2015 World Cup. Shakib’s 124 not out, his ninth ODI century, was studded with 16 fours. In the process, he also reached the personal milestone of scoring 6000 ODI runs in his 202nd innings. This was his second century in this World Cup after the 121 against England for a losing cause in Cardiff on Jun 8. Bangladesh remained in the reckoning for a semifinal spot with five points from five matches while the West Indies will get tougher for a place in the last four as they now have three points from five matches.
The win was though not a surprise as Bangladesh had beaten the West Indies thrice in a tri-series in Ireland last month. But this was Bangladesh’s first win over the West Indies in a World Cup. Bangladesh made a confident start to their run chase as they repelled the West Indies’ barrage of bouncers initially before slowly beginning to dictate terms on the Caribbean bowlers. In the end, it turned out to be an easy win with Shakib and Das taking their side home with 51 balls to spare. Opener Tamim Iqbal made a confident start to the run chase with six fours in his 53-ball innings of 48 before being superbly run out by Sheldon Cottrell. Coming in the pivotal number 3 in the ninth over at team score of 52 for 1, Shakib stitched 69 runs with opener Iqbal for the second wicket before the 189 with Das.
Shakib, whose three innings in this World Cup read 75, 64 and 121, continued with his imperious form as he punished all the West Indies bowlers during his memorable innings. Earlier, Shai Hope hit a patient 121-ball 91 while Shimron Hetmyer produced a quick-fire fifty as West Indies posted a challenging 321 for eight after being sent into bat. Hope shared a 116-run partnership with Evin Lewis (70) for the second wicket before adding another 83 runs with Hetmyer (50 off 26 balls) after West Indies had a sedate start following Bangladesh’s decision to field first.
The two-time champions seemed to be on course for a 350-plus score before Bangladesh tied things up a bit in the last five overs, which yielded just 33 for loss of one wicket. For Bangladesh, pace duo of Mohammad Saifuddin (3/72) and Mustafizur Rahman (3/59) snapped three wickets each, while Shakib Al Hasan (2/54) took two. Earlier, West Indies lost Chris Gayle (0) early and could manage only 32 runs in the first powerplay with the Bangladesh pacers bowling in tendum. Lewis and Hope then brought up the team hundred in 22.4 overs.
The left-handed opener then exploded, smashing successive fours off Shakib before sending one from the bowler out of the park in his next over. But Shakib returned to dismiss Lewis, having him caught at long-off as West Indies slipped to 122 for two. Hope then completed his fifty in 75 balls but new man Nicholas Pooran (25) could not stay longer as WI lost their third wicket in the 33rd over.
That brought Hetmyer to the crease and he took the Bangladesh bowlers to the cleaners, smashing four boundaries and three sixes in his 26-ball whirlwind innings. Once Hetmyer was back to the hut, captain Jason Holder blasted 33 off 15 balls with the help of four hits to the fence and two sixes to keep the flow of runs but West Indies lost their way after he was dismissed in the 44th over. Hope too holed out in the 47th over.
Brief scores: West Indies: 321/8 in 50 overs (Shai Hope 96, Evin Lewis 70, Shimron Hetmyer 50; Mustafizur Rahman 3/59, Mohammad Saifuddin 3/72) lost to Bangladesh: 322/3 in 41.3 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 124 not out, Liton Das 94 not out) by seven wickets. (Agencies)
