Dhaka – An inexperienced West Indies once again failed to show any mettle and crashed to a seven-wicket defeat in the second One-Day International here Wednesday, to concede the three-match series with hardly a whimper.
For the second straight game, the Caribbean side’s batting was well below par, mustering only 148 off 43.4 overs and there were no nightmares for Bangladesh as they easily overhauled the target in the 34th over.
Captain Tamim Iqbal top-scored with 50 off 76 deliveries while the invaluable Skakib-al-Hasan controlled the latter stages of the run chase with an unbeaten 43 off 50 deliveries.
The defeat was West Indies’ seventh straight one to Bangladesh in ODIs and their second consecutive series loss in the south Asian nation.
And that outcome was hardly surprising once they opted to bat at the Shere Bangla National Stadium and slumped to 41 for five in the 17th over, a position from which they never recovered despite Rovman Powell’s top score of 41.
Off-spinner Mehidy Hasan wreaked havoc on the innings with four for 25 while seamer Mustafizur Rahman (2-15) and left-arm spinner Shakib-al-Hasan (2-30) support with two wickets apiece.
There was misery for West Indies from the fifth over when Sunil Ambris (6) was squared up by Mustafizur and taken at short point by Mehidy Hasan.
Debutant Kjorn Ottley, the seventh in two matches for West Indies, struck two fours and a six in 24 but gifted his wicket by punching Mehidy Hasan to cover in the 14th over, after he had added 26 for the second wicket with Joshua Da Silva (5).
There was hope when the in-form Kyle Mayers arrived at the crease but his disastrous run out in the 18th over before he had scored, plunged the Windies further into strife.
A 26-run, sixth wicket stand between captain Jason Mohammed (11) and Nkrumah Bonner (20) temporarily halted the slide, as the pair tried desperately to rebuild.
However, Mohammed was deceived and hit in front by Shakib in the 24th over and Bonner played on to seamer Hasan Mahmud five balls later in the next over.
In reply, Bangladesh paced their innings well, Tamim staging a 30-run first wicket stand partnership with Liton Das (22) and a 47-run second wicket partnership with Najmul Hossain (17).
Left-hander Tamim struck three fours and a six in his 48th ODI fifty before he was removed in the 26th over by left-arm seamer Reifer, edging a cut behind to leave Bangladesh on 109 for three.
The final ODI is set for Monday in Chattogram. (CMC)
