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West Indies post 142/7 after being asked to bat first. Bangladesh finish on 139/5.
West Indies win by 3 runs: And Bangladesh are knocked out (commentators say confirmed, but our math says all but.) Shocking quality of cricket on display at times tonight but has made this match into a thriller we all needed. A great final over from DreRuss.
RALLY!!! WEST INDIES STAY ALIVE! Great last over from DreRuss, finishes off with a superb full ball outside off. The defending champions rally around...clinch a thriller. A misfield off the penultimate ball keeps Mahmudullah on strike, but with 4 off 1 needed DreRuss nails a wide yorker.
19.4: SHOCKING DROP! Fletcher, substitute, puts one down at long leg. Two runs... 6 off 2.
19.3: Super yorker from DreRuss but the ball trickles to long on, they run 2! 8 off 3 balls.
19.2: 13 needed off 6, Afif takes 2 off the first ball. A bye next ball brings Mahmudullah on strike. Pooran could have run the captain out had he not had his glove on.
DreRuss to bowl the final over. Can he keep WI alive in the tournament?
Over 18.6: HOLDER HOLDS ON! Any other fielder it is perhaps a six, but the big man times his jump to perfection and Liton Das is gone. Bravo comes back brilliantly from the first-ball six. 13 off 6 needed.
18.4: Gayle’s footy skills prevents a streaky inside edge four and it remains in favour of WI still. 14 off 8.
18.1: 22 off 12... ...and Mahmudullah starts the penultimate with a six! What a time to hit the first six off the innings. Picks up the Bravo slower ball, in the slot, swept over long on.
Bangladesh 121/4 after 18 overs (Target 143) A huge pressure relieving four off the first ball but Rampaul comes back well. Just singles rest of the over and a dot to finish. Below part for Tigers.
Nabi has won the toss and Afghanistan will bat first. Trusting their bowlers over the clear trend of this tournament. Interesting call.
Rampaul. Can he keep the pressure up?
Bangladesh 113/4 after 17 overs (Target 143) Bangladesh need 33 off 24 balls... and DJ Bravo starts his over with one run off 4 balls. Mahmudullah goes big next ball and Hayden Walsh puts in a great effort to prevent a boundary when he realised it was not going to carry. Now 30 off 18 needed. What an over from Bravo.
Bangladesh need 33 from 24 balls. And Bravo starts off with two dot balls! Pressure.
Bravo on 2/24 after 2, comes on for his 3rd. Can he produce an over of vintage ilk?
Bangladesh 110/4 after 16 overs (Target 143) Couple of wides, a two, four (brilliantly scooped by Mahmudullah) and it is a superb over for Bangladesh. Holder finishes on 4-0-22-1.
A crucial over coming up. Can Holder finish well?
Bangladesh 99/4 after 15 overs (Target 143) After a swing and miss, Mahmudullah connects over leg side off DreRuss. 70/2 in the overs 7-15, that’s steady for Bangladesh all things said and done. But they need to finish well here. 44 off 30 balls.
DreRuss for his 3rd.
Bangladesh 93/4 after 14 overs (Target 143): The Rampaul over started with a four for Rahim and ends with a misfield for a single. Neither side playing great quality cricket, but it’s setting up an exciting finish. 50 off 36 balls.
OUT! BAN 90/4 (13.3 overs) Is there still hope in this for WI? Not for the first time this tournament, Rahim is out trying to play a scoop behind the wicket. This time off the medium pace of Rampaul
Bangladesh 86/3 after 12 overs (Target 143): 1/24 from Hosein. Bangladesh need 57 off 42 balls. Wonder how this match would have played out if they had a certain Sunil Narine in their ranks.
Hosein will bowl out.
Bangladesh 80/3 after 11 overs (Target 143): Huge over for Bangladesh! Bravo has released quite the bit of pressure for the Tigers, that’s unlike him.
11.1: Wow, five wides down the leg side followed by a misfield by Rampaul for four and then another wide. A horror “ball” for Dwayne Bravo, effectively 10 runs off one legal delivery.
OUT! BAN 60/3 (10.4) Diving Gayle spotted! Good catch from the big man. A much-needed breakthrough for West Indies as Akeal Hosein removes Soumya Sarkar. As it happens ever so often, a wicket after a break in play.
Pollard spotted on the field to give some inputs during the break.
Bangladesh 55/2 after 10 overs (Target 143): Not the first time West Indies have missed a run out chance with a missed direct hit. A good over for Bangladesh as Liton survives a brain-fade not long after playing one of the shots of the day for four through cover. Good over for the Tigers though.
Bravo time. Expect cutters galore.
Bangladesh 46/2 after 9 overs (Target 143): Superb over from Akeal Hosein, just three singles.
Bangladesh 43/2 after 8 overs (Target 143): A pair that has opened in the past in the middle now with Liton and Soumya trying to rebuild for the Tigers. Hosein concedes 5 in his first and then Sarkar with a much-needed four in Russell’s over.
Bangladesh 29/2 after 6 overs (Target 143): Identical powerplay scores for both sides, just different ways to get there.
OUT! BAN 29/2 (5.4 overs) Holder, a late addition to the squad, is having a big impact on this game. He dismisses Naim with the ball after a super finish with the bat. The dangerous opener was just starting to find his timing, but he plays on.
Bangladesh 26/1 after 5 overs (Target 143): Good fielding again by Bravo in that over. Naim is starting to time it better though.
OUT! Bangladesh 21/1 (after 4.3 overs): Shakib’s promotion as opener doesn’t quite work out. DreRuss strikes in his first over one ball after Walsh dropped Naim (a sitter for any fielder, especially one of Walsh’s quality). Next ball, Shakib lofts one to Holder at mid on. The champions are still in this.
DreRuss comes on. He’d be itching to contribute after his 0-ball 0.
Bangladesh 20/0 after 4 overs (Target 143): Holder keeps things tight again, West Indies won’t mind this scoring rate but they would have ideally liked a couple of wickets. Bravo with some sharp fielding in that over, they are throwing themselves around the champions.
Bangladesh 17/0 after 3 overs (Target 143): Rampaul continues. A four to start Naim’s over and after that a few joggy singles makes it a par over for the Tigers.
Bangladesh 10/0 after 2 overs (Target 143): Three dot balls from Holder to Shakib, the Bangladesh star dances down and lofts one next ball for four over cover.
Bangladesh 4/0 after 1 overs (Target 143): Oh dear, Shakib clearly in pain. Limping between the wickets for a quick run and then Naim asks him to run another.
Target for Bangladesh: 143 Shakib has walked out to open the batting with Naim. The allrounder had knee issues earlier, maybe this is a move to allow him to have a go in the powerplay?
Pooran giving the talk in the huddle. Looks like we won’t have Pollard on the field for now at least.
West Indies 142/7: Can WI defend this? The pitch certainly should help them make a fist off it. Holder could be huge here.
West Indies 142/7 after 20 overs: Holder (who was dropped in the previous over) hits two sixes in the final over and then Pollard connects with the final ball too. Bangladesh have been sloppy and it has resulted in WI reaching 142/7. And it looks currently like a very defendable score.
TWO HUGE SIXES: Huge not by distance but huge by potential impact. Holder is lucky to be still in the middle and he punishes Bangladesh big time.
Pollard walks back into the middle after Bravo falls off the first ball in the final over. The umpires were told he was retired ill, Atherton says on air.
OUT! WI 123/7 after 19.1 overs: /s Breaking! Bangladesh have taken a catch. Soumya Sarkar takes one at deep point at the start of the last over, The Fizz strikes.
WI 123/6 after 19 overs: More shocking catching from Bangladesh, geez. Holder lofts a slower ball straight to Afif at deep cover, in and out. He can hurt Bangladesh in the final over.
OUT, WI 119/6 after 18.2 overs: Both set batters gone! Chase goes for a big heave, Shoriful disturbs the stumps. Holder plays out the hat-trick ball.
OUT, WI 119/5 after 18.1 overs: Pooran’s superb innings comes to an end, a 23-ball 40. Shoriful has been impressive, strikes in the penultimate over. Caught at deep cover.
West Indies 119/4 after 18 overs: Two more sixes for Nicholas Pooran who is on fire in Sharjah! The 18th over from Mahedi goes for 16. The move to bring on the off-spinner to Pooran perhaps made sense on paper but in the death overs with him hitting the ball, it backfires.
West Indies 103/4 after 17 overs: Shoriful’s use of length and change of pace puts the brakes on WI again, just 4 runs from that over.
West Indies 99/4 after 16 overs: SIX AND SIX! Finally, Pooran provides fireworks that this innings needed badly. Swept over the short boundaries on the leg side in style off Shakib. Whatever the reason maybe, Kieron Pollard’s decision to walk out has immediately made this match more watchable in its aftermath. 29 runs in the last 2 overs for WI.
West Indies 84/4 after 15 overs: We are not yet sure if it is /4 or /5. Meanwhile, Pooran has come out looking in good touch. A four each in the Mustafizur over for Pooran and Chase. Big one for WI! Already looking like a smart move from Pollard?
West Indies 70/4* after 14 overs: Given its Kieron Pollard, we wouldn’t be surprised one bit if he just took the call that he is better off not wasting any more deliveries and this was a tactical call. And also the pitch couldn’t have helped. Will be interesting to hear more about this. Nicky Pooran is the new batter in. Shakib should have at least had one wicket in that over. A stumping missed off Pooran and Chase sees a catch dropped at midwicket. Poor from Bangladesh.
West Indies 64/4 (or 5?) in 13 overs: All happening in Sharjah. First, Pollard has walked back to the dressing room on 8 off 16. Was that a tactical one? We can’t know yet for sure. And before we could digest that, DreRuss is run out for a 0-ball 0 at the non-striker’s end. Taskin gets a foot out in time.
Did we just see the first official retiring out for strike rate reasons in international T20s from Pollard?
REVIEW LOST: Taskin and Bangladesh are right to think it is pad first, when Harsha Bhogle dismissed it as an inside edge. But even though pad first, it was well outside off for impact. Pollard survives.
West Indies 61/3 after 12 covers: Shakib will plough through pain it would seem. Another tidy over.
West Indies 56/3 after 11 overs: Just a series of fast cutters from The Fizz, not surprisingly. The ball and the pitch had a meeting, and it went on for a long time says Harsha Bhogle on air regarding the slowness on display. Chase manages to put one away for four last ball.
West Indies 48/3 after 10 overs: Shakib is clearly not fully alright. He is clutching his left knee in his followthrough, his action not the usual. But he still bowls a really good over, the ball keeping low more than once. Time for drinks and some serious tactical thinking for West Indies.
Once more, a very straight mid-on for Pollard. Becoming a familiar sight.
Finally, Shakib.
West Indies 44/3 after 9 overs: More pace (by name) in middle overs for Bangladesh, and Shoriful uses the pitch well to bowl another tidy over.
West Indies 39/3 after 8 overs: Taskin returns, still no Shakib who is on the field. A good cutter is almost edged behind by Pollard. Just rotation of strike at the moment.
Pollard promotes himself (?) ahead of Pooran. Big innings for the skipper.
OUT! West Indies 32/3 after 6.4 overs: Mahedi drops a simple return catch offered by Chase but he gets a wicket the very next ball as Hetmyer finds the fielder at long off. The DC batter has a long hard look at the toe of his bat, just didn’t connect well. WI in all sorts of trouble.
West Indies 29/2 after 6 overs: If powerplays determine the result more of than not in Sharjah, then West Indies are going to struggle tonight. They need a huge recovery from here. A four in that Shoriful over for Hetmyer followed by a couple of big LBW appeals against Chase.
Shakib back on the field.
West Indies 21/2 after 5 overs: WI are in all sorts of trouble. But it remains to be seen if Bangladesh can use the services of Shakib too. Interesting phase coming up
OUT! West Indies 18/2 after 4.2 overs: Gayle out for a 10-ball 4. Oh dear. The big man didn’t quite find his feet moving, struggled for any momentum... and not unsurprisingly, falls to the finger spinner. Mahedi is delighted, slides one through and Gayle is bowled.
Shakib has limped of the field in between overs it seems. That’s not good for Bangladesh.
West Indies 17/1 after 4 overs: Chase has been in good form in T20 cricket, and he starts off by middling a couple nicely for twos. But Taskin keeps him quiet for the rest of the over.
Chase in on T20I debut.
OUT! West Indies 12/1 after 3 overs: Lewis, who looked in great touch last match, is the first to go. Tries going for his favourite pull over square leg but it is skied. Rahim makes no mistake for what was a tricky chance (and given Bangladesh’s catching that is saying something).
BIG CHANCE: Gayle has jogged down the pitch and by the time he turns to reach back, Shakib releases a throw. Could have just given it to the keeper and it was an easy run out because Gayle was nowhere in the frame.
West Indies 9/0 after 2 overs: Three dot balls from Taskin to Evin, 1 run from the first 5 balls... and the WI opener powers one through extra cover for a much-needed boundary.
West Indies 4/0 after 1 over: Not unsurprisingly, patient start from the WI openers. One huge appeal for LBW against Lewis, not out. Seemed to be an inside edge.
Mahedi’s off-spin to start things off with LHBs in the middle.
National anthems done. Gayle, Lewis in the middle. Great atmosphere in Sharjah, plenty of Bangladesh fans in attendance.
Super 12 Group 1 points table
| TEAM | PLAYED | WON | LOST | NET RR | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENG | 2 | 2 | 0 | +3.614 | 4 |
| AUS | 2 | 2 | 0 | +0.727 | 4 |
| SA | 2 | 1 | 1 | +0.179 | 2 |
| SL | 2 | 1 | 1 | -0.416 | 2 |
| BAN | 2 | 0 | 2 | -1.655 | 0 |
| WI | 2 | 0 | 2 | -2.550 | 0 |
Playing XI:
West Indies: Evin Lewis, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran(wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Kieron Pollard (c), Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hosein, Ravi Rampaul
Bangladesh: Mohammad Naim, Soumya Sarkar, Liton Das (wk), Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah (c), Afif Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Shoriful Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed
TEAM NEWS: Pollard confirms what most West Indies fans (Certainly Daren Sammy) wanted to hear. Chris Gayle will open the batting. Lendl Simmons has been left out, Roston Chase comes in. Jason Holder plays instead of Hayden Walsh. For Bangladesh, Nurul is replaced by Soumya Sarkar and Nasum makes way for the pacy Taskin.
TOSS: Bangladesh have won the toss on a fresh Sharjah pitch and opted to bowl, given the trend of successfully chasing.
Bangladesh are in the same boat as West Indies and must win to stand any realistic chance of reaching the semi-finals after defeats to Sri Lanka and England.
Their batting has fluctuated in the four games they have played and an off day against England heavily contributed to an eight-wicket defeat.
“We speak about the batting failure,” said spinner Nasum Ahmed.
“We are unable to score runs in the first six overs, which is keeping us behind the game. We are also losing wickets (in the powerplay). Everyone wants to do well but we are not able to do it.”
— via ICC
West Indies could call upon all-rounder Jason Holder, after he was elevated to the squad to replace Obed McCoy, who was ruled out with a leg injury. Will we see Lendl Simmons retain his place after his bizarre innings against South Africa? Will we see Gayle at the top?
Pitch: A fresh pitch in Sharjah, says Danny Morrison. Rolled in nicely but spinners should play a role. Bangladesh should like that.
02.50 pm: Here’s what Nicholas Pooran had to say ahead of this must-win clash:
“It’s a do-or-die game for us,” he said.
“And we believe that we’re going to be successful tomorrow. And again, I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to perform our roles. Once we do that, then everything can take care of itself.
“I definitely think it’s a good opportunity for us to bounce back. We’re not sure how Sharjah is going to play tomorrow.
“But our focus is not on the small boundaries, to be honest. We just want to execute our skills. And once we can do that, then the results can take care of itself.
“We can’t really say it’s short boundaries and we’re going to hit sixes. And we want to be aggressive as a team.
“We can’t really say that. Only when we go tomorrow and we assess the pitch, the conditions there, then we can actually try to put a game plan into place as quick as possible and try to get a really good score.”
— via ICC
02.45 pm: Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Super 12 Group 1 match between West Indies and Bangladesh, two teams who have lost both their matches in this stage so far. For either the defending champions WI or dark horses Bangladesh, their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 campaign will be all over tonight. Even a win just barely keeps either team alive.
Follow Scroll.in’s full coverage of the T20 World Cup here.