Roseau (Dominica): West Indies fans enjoyed a commanding performance from their team in the second T20 International, as they brushed aside Bangladesh by 35 runs at Windsor Park to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series on Monday (IST).
With international cricket returning to the island for the first time since 2017, spectators packed the stands and they witnessed a fine innings from by Rovman Powell (61 not out off 28 balls) which set up the match-winning total of 193/5 off 20 overs.
Opener Brandon King too scored a superb 57 from 43 balls as the hosts move into the final game on July 7 eyeing a clean sweep after the first T20I was washed out. King played the anchor role with two half-century partnerships — 74 for the third wicket with Pooran (34) and 63 for the fourth wicket with Powell.
King hit seven boundaries and a six, while Pooran hit three fours and a six in a 30-ball knock. Then ‘Man of the Match’ Powell entered and transformed the innings. He entertained the crowd with two fours and six massive sixes as he raced to his fourth T20I half century off just 20 balls in the 18th over. West Indies made a remarkable 74 runs from the last five overs.
“For us as a batting group, we want to take the game from the bowlers and try to put the bowlers under pressure early in the over,” said captain Nicholas Pooran. “Today was the start of this whole template and I thought we did it well but there’s a lot of work to put in it. We just need to trust this process a bit more and everyone just needs to keep digging deep for the team.”
In reply to West Indies’ big total, Bangladesh struggled from some superb new-ball bowling from Obed McCoy and finished on 158/6 from their 20 overs. Shakib Al Hasan top-scored with 69 not out from 52 balls to reach the milestone of 2,000 runs in his 98th T20 International.
Leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr was again on song and conceded just 23 runs from his four overs. He did a great job along with pacers McCoy (2/37) and Romario Shepherd (2/28) who picked up crucial wickets to secure the win.
The third game of the series will be played in Guyana.
Brief scores: West Indies 193/5 in 20 overs (Brandon King 57, Nicholas Pooran 34, Rovman Powell 61 not out; Shoriful Islam 2/40) beat Bangladesh 158/6 in 20 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 68 not out, Afif Hossain 34; Obed McCoy 2/37, Romario Shepherd 2/28) by 35 runs.
–IANS