Ali blasts Bangladesh to dominant series sweep of Windies

Jaker Ali’s spectacular half-century with yet another dreadful batting performance by the West Indies helped Bangladesh to a massive 80-run victory in the third and final T20I at Arnos Vale in St Vincent.

Player-of-the-Match Ali rescued his team with an unbeaten 72 from 41 balls, carrying the team to 189 for seven from their 20 overs before the Windies’ batsmen collapsed for the third time in the series for an insignificant 109 in 16.4 overs and handed Bangladesh a 3-0 series sweep.

Bangladesh ended the series by registering their largest margin of victory over the West Indies in terms of runs while dismissing the home side for their lowest-ever total against them.

Batting first, Bangladesh’s opening pair of captain Litton Das and Parvez Hossain Emon belted 44 runs inside the first five overs.
Romario Shepherd eventually had Das caught by Brandon King for 13 after his miscue into the air.

Alzarri Joseph, who was blasted for a six and four by Emon in his first over, got his revenge by having him caught by Justin Greaves after scoring 39 from 21 balls to leave the score 54 for two.

Bangladesh then suffered a mini-collapse, losing Tanzid Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shamim Hossain, and Mahedi Hasan, slumping to 114 for six after 15 overs.

But Ali partnered with Tanzim Hasan Sakib and added 50 runs in four overs to give Bangladesh momentum after Ali thought he had been run out when he was 18, only to be recalled by TV umpire Zahid Bassarath.

He brought up his half-century off 36 balls in the final over when he smashed Joseph for a boundary before ending the innings in grand style by launching him for three sixes off the last four balls.

Ali hit six sixes and three fours, giving Bangladesh the highest T20I score in the Caribbean.
For the West Indies, Shepherd took 2-30 from his four overs.

The West Indies had no hope of a win after fast bowler Taskin Ahmed trapped Brandon King lbw with the second ball of the innings without a run on the board.

Opener Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran tried their best with a 38-run partnership, but Mahedi Hasan bowled Pooran for 15 to reduce the West Indies to 45 for three in the sixth over.

The match was decided in the next three overs when Hasan Mahmud dismissed Roston Chase for a duck, Charles was run out for 23, and Captain Rovman Powell was caught for just two off Rishad Hossain, leaving the Windies at 60 for six.

Romario Shepherd delivered a much-needed 33, but Rishad Hossain had him taken out to hand the West Indies one of their most embarrassing defeats.
Hossain was the pick of the bowlers with 3-21, while Ahmed and Hasan took two wickets each.