Images from the T20 World Cup match between West Indies and Bangladesh, in Sharjah, on Friday.
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Bangladesh produced a disciplined bowling effort, but Nicholas Pooran provided West Indies the final flourish to enable the defending champions post 142 for 7 in a crucial Group 1 Super 12s match, of the T20 World Cup, in Sharjah, on Friday.
Asked to set a target for the third consecutive time in the tournament, the West Indies batters struggled to get going on a sluggish track before Pooran scored a gutsy 40 off 22 balls to get much-needed runs on the board.
The wicketkeeper-batter hit four sixes and a four.
Roston Chase (39), making his T20 international debut, was the other chief contributor with the bat.
Spinner Mahedi Hasan (2 for 27), Mustafizur Rahman (2 for 43) and Shoriful Islam (2 for 20) were Bangladesh’s main wicket-takers.
Aware of the West Indies struggle against spin, Bangladesh skipper Mahmudullah handed the ball to off-spinner Hasan to open the innings. The strategy put pressure on the Caribbean team is the must-win game for both sides.
After a few overs of pace, which saw Evin Lewis (6 off 9 balls) being dismissed by Mustafizur to the last ball of the third over, bringing back spin in the fifth over paid immediate dividends as Hasan got the big wicket of Chris Gayle (4).
The left-hander, who had survived a run-out chance, was foxed by Hasan’s off-spin, edging the ball onto his stumps.
Bangladesh gave away just 29 runs while picking two wickets in the Powerplay.
In his next over, right after he put down Chase off his bowling, Hasan snared Shimron Hetmyer’s (9) wicket.
Kieron Pollard (14 not out) and Chase tried to repair the innings before the skipper retired ill in the 13th over.
The reasons for his walking out at that stage were not clear, but he came back in the final over to hit a last-ball six after seven batters from his side were packed off.
Off the very next delivery, Andre Russell (0) was run-out without facing a ball as things went from bad to worse for the West Indies as they were reduced to 62 for 4 in the 13th over.
Ahmed got his toe to a Chase drive and the ball deflected onto the stumps. Russell was out at the non-striker’s end without facing a single delivery.
Thereon the West Indies got some rub of the green when Chase was dropped once again by Hasan at deep mid-wicket before Bangladesh missed a stumping opportunity against Pooran.
The momentum slightly changed in the West Indies; favour as Chase and Pooran plundered 14 runs off the 15th over.
Pooran continued the assault, hammering Shakib for back-to-back sixes.
Jason Holder too pitched in with a five-ball 15 to give the West Indies a fighting total.
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