Sports desk, Mar 06: Shakib Al Hasan’s brilliant all-round performance helped Bangladesh to avoid a clean sweep as they secured a 50-run win over world champions England in the third and final one-day international at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Monday.
Shakib also became the first Bangladeshi bowler and only the third left-arm spinner overall, after Sanath Jayasuriya and Daniel Vettori, to reach 300 ODI wickets.
With the win, Bangladesh avoided a clean sweep at home for the first time since 2014. This was Bangladesh’s first victory over England after 2016.
Chasing a tricky 247 on a slow track, England started pretty well. The opening duo of Jason Roy and Phil Salt added 54 runs within the first nine overs.
But things turned around quickly as the visitors lost three quick wickets in three consecutive overs.
The opening duo of Roy and Salt added 54 runs within the first nine overs. But things turned around quickly as the visitors lost three quick wickets.
Shakib drew the first blood by sending Salt back to the pavilion. Ebadot Hossain struck in the very next over to dismiss Dawid Malan for a duck.
Shakib then got rid of Roy to put England into deep trouble.
James Vince and Sam Currant put up a 49-run partnership which brought England right back in the game.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz broke the partnership and the floodgate opened again. Vince and Moeen Ali departed in consecutive overs only to put their team in more trouble and more out of the game.
Skipper Jos Buttler tried his best. But he couldn’t carry on his 26-run innings off 24 balls. He became Taijul Islam’s first victim before Taijul sent Adil Rashid back in the hut within a few overs to almost seal the match for the Tigers.
Chris Woakes fought hard, but only to reduce the margin of defeat for England. He was the last batsman to be dismissed as the eventually bundled England out for 196.
Earlier, Bangladesh posted a modest 246 runs on the board thanks to Shakib, Mushfiq and Nazmul Hossain Shanto’s fifties.
After a terrible start where the hosts saw Liton Das getting dismissed for his second consecutive duck in the series and skipper Tamim Iqbal with an eyesore dismissal, Shanto and Mushfiq held the innings together.
The duo added 98 runs for the third wicket before Shanto was run out for 53.
Mushfiq too got to his fifty, eventually scoring 70 off 93 balls. He hit six boundaries in his innings.
Then came Shakib and he did bat like his true self. He was the top scorer for Bangladesh with a quickfire 75 off 71 balls to his name while the batters at the other end kept getting out.
Shakib’s innings was of true maturity, if anyone doubts. He was aggressive right from the word go and shielded tail-ender Ebadot when needed at the death.
Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Miraz all failed to capitalise on the opportunity they got. Afif went past the double-digit mark but couldn’t carry on. Riyad got out in a questionable way, just like Mushfiq and Mehidy did, failing to pick googly from a leg-spinner.
For England, Jofra Archer picked up three wickets for 35 runs while Sam Curran and Adil Rashid bagged a brace.
