Bangladesh thumped West Indies by a comprehensive margin of seven wickets in the second ODI to clinch the three-match Bangabandhu Cricket Series 2021 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.
Bangladesh skipper Tamin Iqbal and premier all rounder Shakib Al Hasan led from the front to propel Tigers to yet another convincing victory. Shakib played an unbeaten 50-ball 43 while Tamim scored a 76-ball 50 to help Bangladesh chase a mere target of 149 runs.
Shakib returned to international cricket on a grand note. He performed admirably in the first ODI and continued his brilliant with both the bat and bowl in the second ODI as well.
Shakib returned with figures of 8/4 in 7.2 overs and also scooped the player-of-the-match award for his effort in the first ODI on Wednesday. But the 33-year-old, who had played a number of domestic games before being reinstated in the international arena, had been struggling to get runs since his return. However, with Wednesday’s knock with the bat we saw the return of the old Shakib.
Bangladesh cricket fans had been waiting for Shakib to get back to groove with the willow and his unbeaten knock is sure to give everyone concerned with the Bangladesh cricket a sigh of relief. Shakib looked very comfortable out in the middle and smashed four boundaries during his unbeaten knock and helped Tigers cross the line with ease.
Before Shakib, it was Tamim who had picked up his first fifty as the ODI skipper of Bangladesh to lay the foundation for the win. Tamim, who started slowly, did not shy away from using his feet after getting into the groove. The southpaw smashed three boundaries and a maximum before being dismissed in the 26th over off a Raymon Reifer delivery.
Earlier, it was Mehidy Hasan Miraz who shone with the ball to help Bangladesh bundle out the visitors for just 148 in 43.4 overs.
All in all, it was another dominating performance by the Tigers as they outshone the Windies team in every department of the game.
