2nd ODI: Hosein holds nerve in super over as West Indies edge Bangladesh by one run

Dhaka, Oct 21 (IANS) Akeal Hosein held his nerve in a tense Super Over to seal a dramatic one-run win for West Indies against Bangladesh at the Sher-E-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka, levelling the three-match ODI series 1-1 on Tuesday.

Tasked with defending ten runs in the extra over, Hosein mixed dot balls with wides and no-balls, yet managed to keep his composure at the death. Bangladesh’s Saif Hassan, Soumya Sarkar, and Najmul Hossain Shanto couldn’t find the boundary they needed as West Indies prevailed in a match that will be remembered for its chaos, spin dominance, and a finish full of drama.

Earlier, the West Indies had scored exactly ten runs in their Super Over, with captain Shai Hope striking a boundary off the final delivery after Mustafizur Rahman dismissed Sherfane Rutherford with his second ball. The slender total ultimately proved just enough, thanks to Hosein’s nerveless control and Bangladesh’s failure to capitalise on scoring opportunities. The result marked Bangladesh’s first-ever tie in men’s international cricket — their first in 814 matches — before the West Indies edged them out in the one-over decider.

Hope was the central figure in regulation play as well, producing the only half-century of the game to single-handedly carry West Indies to the brink of victory in their chase of 214. His calm 52 anchored an innings that fluctuated between promise and collapse.

The equation came down to five runs off the final over, bowled by Saif Hassan. Two dots and a single left Hope on strike with Akeal Hosein, the No. 10 batter playing his first match of the tour, at the other end. Hope chose to take a single, but Saif struck back immediately, bowling Hosein between his legs.

That left Khary Pierre, the last man in, needing three off the final ball. His top edge ballooned toward square leg, where wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan dropped a sitter before failing to relay the ball to Mustafizur Rahman in time. Pierre and Hope scored two runs to tie the match and force the Super Over.

Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s innings had been built around Rishad Hossain’s breathtaking late cameo. Coming in with his side struggling at 103 for 5, the leg-spinning allrounder blasted an unbeaten 39 off just 14 balls, including three fours and as many sixes, all in the final 2.1 overs.

His assault lifted Bangladesh to 213 after a sluggish start, where their top order failed to convert. Soumya Sarkar, despite stroking some attractive shots, laboured for 45 off 89 balls with three fours and a six before holing out in the 31st over. Nurul Hasan’s quickfire 23 provided some stability before Rishad’s fireworks gave the innings a late boost.

For the West Indies, Alick Athanaze was outstanding with the ball, taking 2 for 14 from his ten overs, while Hosein also chipped in with two wickets. Gudakesh Motie took 3 for 65, though his figures were dented by Rishad’s onslaught in the final overs.

In reply, the West Indies’ chase started poorly as Nasum Ahmed removed Brandon King in the first over. Alick Athanaze and Keacy Carty rebuilt briefly during the Power-play, but both fell to Rishad — Athanaze trapped lbw for 27, and Carty dismissed attempting a reverse sweep.

Debutant Ackeem Auguste made 17 before picking out square leg, while Sherfane Rutherford’s dismissal left West Indies tottering at 103 for 5. Roston Chase and Gudakesh Motie couldn’t steady things for long either, falling in quick succession to Nasum and Rishad. From 133 for 7, Hope found support from Justin Greaves, adding 44 crucial runs before Greaves was run out by Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s direct hit.

Despite Hosein’s late six that brought West Indies within touching distance, the match was forced into a tie after that frantic final over. What followed was a gripping Super Over where Hosein, having been the hero and the nearly-man within minutes, emerged triumphant — holding Bangladesh to nine when ten were needed.

In doing so, the West Indies not only squared the series but also etched their name in history as the first team ever to bowl spin for all 50 overs in an ODI, surpassing Sri Lanka’s long-standing record of 44 overs from 2004.

With Bangladesh also employing 42 overs of spin, the match saw an unprecedented 92 overs of slow bowling.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh 213/7 & 9/1 in super over (Soumya Sarkar 45, Rishad Hossain 39 not out; Gudakesh Motie 3-65, Alick Athanaze 2-14) lost to West Indies 213/9 & 10/1 in super over (Shai Hope 53 not out, Keacy Carry 35; Rishad Hossain 3-42, Nasum Ahmed 2-38) by one run in super over.

--IANS

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