ICC WC: Tigers need record 322 against West Indies

Dhaka – Bangladesh need to produce their record chase of 322 to beat West Indies in their fifth game of the ongoing ICC World Cup at Taunton on Monday.
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza won the toss and opted to bowl first.

West Indies capitalised on the chance of batting first in spite of losing Chris Gayle early for a duck and scored 321 runs for eight in 50 overs. Shai Hope was the best batsman for West Indies as he struck 96.

Along with him, Evin Lewis (70), Shimron Hetmyer (50) and Jason Holder (33) were the other batsmen to dominate over the Bangladeshi bowlers.

Bangladesh made a brisk start as Mohammad Saifuddin removed Chris Gayle for a duck. Gayle was shaky from the start of his innings. Before managing an edge to the wicketkeeper, he missed out some deliveries outside off-stump.

However, in the second wicket stand, West Indies took control as Evin Lewis and Shai Hope batted steadily. They put up a partnership of 118 to destroy Bangladesh’s rampant start.

Along the process, Lewis hit 70 off 67 with six fours and two sixes. Shakib Al Hasan broke the stand when he tried to smack the ball through the boundary but ended up slicing to the long-off where Sabbir Rahman, a substitute fielder, took a catch to remove Lewis.

In a quick succession, Shakib removed Nicholas Pooran (25 off 30 deliveries) as well. Shakib’s double wicket brought Bangladesh back in the contest. But in the fourth wicket stand, Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer added 83 runs off 40 deliveries.

Bangladeshi bowlers were clueless during this partnership as Saifuddin and Mustafizur conceded 19 and 17 runs respectively in 35th and 36th over.

Along the way, Hetmyer hit fifty off 25 balls which is now joint-fastest fifty in this World Cup so far. Hetmyer was removed by Mustafiuzr Rahman when he skied the ball and senior man Tamim Iqbal took a tough catch in the deep.

In the same over, Mustafizur scalped Andre Russell as well. It was an off-cutter from Mustafizur. Russell went to cut it away but the ball went to the wicketkeeper after nicking on the bat.


However, despite this double attack of Mustafizur, West Indies were scoring runs as Jason Holder struck 33 off 15. At the same time, Shai Hope was rhythmic in the middle as well.

Saifuddin removed Holder off a full toss. Holder skied the ball and Mahmudullah Riyad took the ball at long-off.

West lost their seventh wicket when Mustafizur took Hope out for 96 off 121 with four fours and one six.

For Bangladesh, Mustafizur and Saifuddin bagged three wickets each conceding 59 and 72 respectively while Shakib bagged two wickets.UNB