The West Indies did not even need the services of their inspirational skipper Shai Hope to complete a series whitewash of Bangladesh in the third and final T20I on Friday.
Romario Shepherd became just the second West Indian to take a hat-trick in a T20I, while stand in captain Roston Chase and Ackeem Auguste both smashed half centuries to lead the visitors to a comprehensive five-wicket victory over the hosts at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium.
Led by Shepherd’s impressive feat, the Windies were able to limit Bangladesh to 151 in their 20 overs, despite a fighting 89 from opener Tanzid Hasan.
Chase and Auguste then combined in a 93-run partnership to carry the West Indies to 152 for five off 16.5 overs, to ensure they swept the three-match series.
They came together in the eighth over with their side precariously poised at 52 for three following the dismissals of Alick Athanaze, Brandon King and Amir Jangoo, who made 34.
Auguste, playing in just his fourth T20I, wasted little time in stamping his dominance by flicking pacer Taskin Ahmed’s first ball of the ninth over midwicket for six.
Chase started cautiously, but began to open up, thumping spinner Nasum Ahmed for two boundaries in the 12th over.
Leg spinner Rishad Hossain was then belted for three sixes in the ensuing over by Auguste, after being dropped at cover off the second ball of the over.
He then hit Nasum for another maximum, before reaching his maiden T20I half century off 24 balls with a single to midwicket.
Chase wasn’t too far behind, eventually bringing up his fifth T20I half century off 28 balls by pulling Taskin to deep square leg for a single, as the West Indies sauntered to 143 for three at the end of 15 overs.
Just when it looked like they would carry West Indies over the line, they were both undone by googlies from Hossain in the space of three balls.
Chase was bowled for 50 attempting an extravagant drive, while Auguste also fell for the same score, caught on the deep backward square boundary going for another big hit.
With the Windies needing eight runs from 27 balls, the result was never in doubt and Rovman Powell and Gudakesh Motie ensured there would be no further losses.
Hossain led the way for Bangladesh with 3-43.
Earlier, the West Indies’ bowlers produced yet another spirited performance, with only Tanzid providing any real resistance.
Following the early losses of Parvez Hossain Emon for nine and captain Litton Das for six, Bangladesh did well to recover to 107 for two, courtesy of the efforts of Tanzid and Saif Hassan.
Tanzid, who was dropped at 12 by Jason Holder at mid-off off Shepherd’s bowling, made them pay dearly and he eventually brought up his half century off 36 balls.
But once Holder dismissed Hassan for 23, Bangladesh’s innings petered out as Hasan struggled to find any willing partners to see them lose their last eight wickets for just 44 runs.
Shepherd played a big part in that collapse, snaring the wicket of Nural Hasan with the last ball of his third over, and then returning to dismiss Tanzid for 89 off 62 balls and Shoriful Islam with the first two balls of his final over, to join Holder as the only other West Indian to accomplish the feat.
Shepherd, who finished with figures of 3-36, ended the series with seven wickets and was named Player-of-the-Series.
Khary Pierre (2-23) and Holder (2-32) also provided good support.
(CMC)
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