Bangladesh secured a historic T20I series win against England, beating the visitors by four wickets in the second match of the three-match series on Sunday. With this win, Bangladesh defeat the defending ICC Men`s T20 World Cup champion (2022) for the first time in a T20 series.
Shakib Al Hasan`s men won the T20I series, convincingly in the second game in Dhaka, after conceding the ODI series 1-2 last week. Bangladesh are usually at their best when they play ODI cricket, but who could tell after this tour?
Mehidy Hasan Miraz had a great all-round hand in this win. He first took 4-12 in his four overs, an economically effective spell that sparked England`s second collapse in the innings. He put the exclamation point in when, promoted to No 5, he knocked a couple of sixes in a 16-ball 20.
Najmul Hossain Shanto ensured Bangladesh didn`t have too much of a wobble in the end, remaining unbeaten on 46 off 47 balls. Taskin Ahmed hit the winning runs with two fours in the penultimate over, as they ran off in delight.
This was Bangladesh`s first bilateral T20I series against England, and having emerged winners, they ticked off another little stat. A first series victory (min of three matches played) after two-and-a-half years. It also ended England`s long run of success in this format, having won the T20 World Cup, and bilateral series against Australia and Pakistan last year.
They raced to 50 for 1 in seven overs when Shakib removed Phil Salt, who continued his get-set-get-out theme on this tour. Salt struck one back at Shakib, a delivery that he should have smashed through either side of the pitch with ease, and it became the catalyst for an England collapse.
The impressive Hasan Mahmud broke through Jos Buttler in the next over, a turning point for the home side. Buttler made a quickfire 67 in the first game, and was expected to be a major threat.
Then it was Mehidy`s turn to shine, as Moeen Ali hit one down deep midwicket`s throat in the next over. England were 57 for 4, having lost three wickets in the space of 16 balls.
Sam Curran and Ben Duckett added 34 runs for the fifth wicket, before Mehidy`s triple-strike sent the visitors into free fall. Litton stumped Curran and Chris Woakes in the space of three balls. Both tricky deliveries but handled smoothly by the gloveman. As soon as England reached three-figures, Mehidy landed his maiden four-wicket haul when Chris Jordan hit one to deep midwicket. England slipped from 91 for 4 to 100 for 7 in 17 balls. The remaining three wickets fell in the last over.
Bangladesh didn`t have the smoothest chase. Curran removed Litton for yet another soft dismissal, caught at deep square leg.
Rony Talukdar couldn`t quite get Archer away, falling for 9 in the sixth over. Legspinner Rehan then took his first T20I wicket, when Towhid Hridoy, playing his second T20I, toe-ended the ball to Woakes at point. It was a rank half-tracker from Rehan, but he`d nonetheless take the wicket.
Shanto held his own at the other end, adding 41 runs in 5.2 overs with Mehidy. But Bangladesh slipped again, this time losing Mehidy, Shakib and Afif Hossain in the space of two overs. Shakib threw away his wicket, while Archer blew away Afif`s off bail, which landed at fine leg. Shanto and Taskin scored the remaining 15 runs, with the former providing the calming influence in that final partnership.
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