A record double-century partnership between opener Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan helped Bangladesh to bounce back from their horrible Test series defeat as they beat host West Indies by 48 runs in their opening one-day international held on Sunday.
Man-of-the-Match Tamim blazed an unbeaten 130, the highest by a Bangladeshi in ODIs against the West Indies, while Shakib weighed in with 97 a second-wicket partnership of 207 as Bangladesh posted a challenging total of 279 for 4 from their allotted 50 over at Guyana’s National Stadium.
Tigers’skipper Mashrafe Mortaza then led the way with the ball and picking up 4 for 37 as the hosts were restricted 231 for 9 in their reply.
After winning the match Mashrafe said it was important for them to make a strong statement here after the way they played in the Tests.
The speedster said this ground has been a happy one for them over the years and they are looking now to clinch the series in the next match to be held on Wednesday.
West Indies were on course to seriously challenge the target with Chris Gayle and Shimron Hetmyer at the crease.
However when dashing batsman Gayle was fell unfortunate run out for 40 and Hetmyer fell to Mustafizur Rahman for a top score of 52 the innings went into freefall and an entertaining unbroken last-wicket stand of 59 between Devendra Bishoo and Alzarri Joseph merely inevitable.
Smarting from the annihilation endured over the two Tests, both of which ended inside three days, the Tigers immediately found the less challenging circumstances of ODI cricket more to their liking.
Mushfiqur Rahim also belted 30 off just 11 deliveries and made a significant difference to his side’s innings in the final overs.
His late assault contributed to 43 runs being taken off the last two overs – the most productive ever for Tigers in their ODI history – off the bowling of Jason Holder and Andre Russell.
For Holder it represented a turnaround from earlier in the morning, when he sent back opener Anamul Haque for a duck in his opening over after Mortaza chose to bat first.
Tamim then found a firm partner in Shakib as they set about the task of preventing the sort of batting capitulation that was repeatedly evident in the Test matches.
Their cause was assisted considerably by sloppy West Indies catching.
Tamim was missed on 17 and 20 while Shakib was let off on 15 and 85. They made the home side pay dearly for those lapses. However Shakib’s luck eventually ran out when three runs short of the landmark. Their partnership was the highest for any wicket in ODI’s at Providence.
The second match of the three-game ODI series is also at Providence Stadium in Georgetown on July 26, followed by the final ODI in Basseterre on July 28.
