Hope's ton lifts Windies to rare win

DHAKA, Bangladesh (CMC):

Elegant Shai Hope struck a superb career-best hundred to headline a successful West Indies run chase as the Caribbean side edged Bangladesh by four wickets in the second One-Day International to level the three-match series yesterday.

Under pressure throughout the innings and losing partners, the 25-year-old showcased not only his class, but maturity, as he unfurled a high-quality unbeaten 146 off 144 balls as the Windies overhauled a moderate target of 256 with two balls to spare at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.

All told, he stroked 12 fours and three sixes, notching his second century in six One-day innings and the joint second-highest individual score for West Indies in a successful ODI chase.

Hope enjoyed little by way of support as veteran right-hander Marlon Samuels chipped in with 27 and left-hander Darren Bravo got 26 but no other batsman passed 20.

However, Hope found a cool head in 20-year-old Keemo Paul, with whom he fashioned a pivotal unbroken, 71-run seventh wicket stand, which hauled the Windies over the line.

Paul spent 31 balls at the crease for his 18, and it was he who struck the winning runs when he pulled off-spinner Mahmudullah to deep mid-wicket for a couple.

Bangladesh had earlier stuttered to 255 for seven off their 50 overs, with top-ranked all-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan top-scoring with 65 and Mushfiqur Rahim (62) and Tamim Iqbal (50) also punching half-centuries.

Fast bowler Oshane Thomas, playing only his fourth ODI, finished with three for 54.

West Indies, who lost Sunday's opener by five wickets, will now travel to Sylhet for the series finale at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Friday.

 

Early struggles

 

Opting to bowl, West Indies tasted early success when Thomas had Imrul Kayes taken behind by Hope in the fourth over without scoring with the score on 14 after opener Liton Das had retired hurt in the second over.

Bangladesh then assumed control of the game as Tamim and Mushfiqur put on 111 for the second wicket, which kept the hosts ticking along at over five runs an over.

In reply, West Indies were pegged back as early as the second over, when left-hander Chandrapaul Hemraj played down the wrong line to off-spinner Mehidy Hasan and was lbw for three with five runs on the board.

However, Hope then anchored a couple of key partnerships to get the Windies' noses in front, putting on 65 with Bravo for the second wicket and a further 62 with Samuels for the third wicket.

BANGLADESH

Tamim Iqbal c Roach b Bishoo 50

Liton Das c Hetmyer b Paul 8

Imrul Kayes c wkp Hope b Thomas 0

+Mushfiqur Rahim c wkp

Hope b Thomas 62

Shakib Al Hasan b Roach 65

Mahmudullah Riyad

c Hetmyer b Powell 30

Soumya Sarkar c

Bishoo b Thomas 6

*Mashrafe Mortaza not out 6

Mehidy Hasan not out 10

Extras (b1, lb3, w9, nb5) 18

TOTAL (7 wkts, 50 overs) 255

Did not bat: Mustafizur Rahman, Rubel Hossain

Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Imrul), 2-125 (Tamim), 3-132 (Mushfiqur), 4-193 (Mahmudullah) 5-208 (Soumya), 6-234 (Liton Das), 7-239 (Shakib)

Bowling: Roach 10-0-39-1(w2, nb1), Thomas 10-0-54-3 (w3, nb2), Chase 3-0-22-0 (w3), Paul 10-0-68-1 (w1, nb1), Bishoo 10-1-27-1 (nb1), Powell 7-0-41-1.

WEST INDIES

C Hemraj lbw b Mehidy Hasan 3

+S Hope not out 146

D Bravo b Rubel Hossain 27

M Samuels c wkp Mushfiqur

Rahim b Mustafizur Rahman 26

S Hetmyer c (sub) Nazmul Islam

b Rubel Hossain 14

*R Powell c Soumya Sarkar

b Mashrafe Mortaza 1

R Chase c Tamim Iqbal b Mustafizur Rahman 9

K Paul not out 18

Extras (lb5, w6, nb1) 12

TOTAL (6 wkts, 49.4 overs) 256

Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Hemraj), 2-70 (Bravo), 3-132 (Samuels), 4-155 (Hetmyer), 5-157 (Powell), 6-185 (Chase).

Bowling: Shakib-al-Hasan 10-0-28-0, Mehidy Hasan 9-0-39-1 (w1), Mustafizur Rahman 10-1-63-2 (w2), Mashrafe Mortaza 10-1-52-1 (w1, nb1), Mahmudullah 1.4-0-12-0, Rubel Hossain 9-0-57-2 (w1).

Result: West Indies won by four wickets.

Series: Three-match series tied 1-1.

Man-of-the-Match: Shai Hope.

Toss: West Indies

Umpires: Masudur Rahman, Aleem Dar; TV - Ruchira Palliyaguruge.