Incredible Hope, Cottrell lead West Indies to dominating victory
|| CF Correspondent ||
Fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell’s career best 4-28 was complemented by opener Shai Hope’s third fastest T20 fifty as West Indies cruised Bangladesh past by eight wickets in the first of three-match T20 International series at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Cottrell used the short balls to precision to help the side dismiss Bangladesh for meager 129 in 19 overs before Hope led the charge with 23 ball-55, his maiden T20 fifty which steered West Indies to winning target of 130 for two in just 10.5 overs.
Hope brought up his fifty off just 16 deliveries to place him just behind India’s Yuvraj Singh (12 balls) and New Zealand’s Colin Munro (14 balls) in terms of fastest T20 fifty.
Hope, the man in form, who struck two straight unbeaten centuries in ODIs, helped the side pile up 91 runs in first six overs, the highest runs in T20 International’s first powerplay.
Together with Evin Lewis (18), Hope gave the side a rapid start by amassing 51 runs in just 3.2 overs, from which it was just a one-way traffic for the world champions.
His innings was laced with three fours and six sixes.
Hope made his intention clear by scoring 19 runs off offspinner Mehidy Hasan in the second over of the chase with three sixes, all of which came by some clean hitting.
Pacer Mohammad Saifuddin (1-13) dismissed Lewis amid Hope’s onslaught.
However Hope slog-swept Hasan for six to bring up his fifty, shortly after which he holed one to deep extra cover off off-spinner Mahmudullah (1-13) delivery.
By then West Indies was nicely placed with 98-2 in 7.4 overs.
Keemo Paul, 14 ball-28 not out and Nicholas Pooran 17, ball-23 not out, completed the inevitable.
Sheldon Cottrell gave the platform with easy victory after captain Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and opted to bat first.
The captain was key in Bangladesh’s 129, hitting a 43 ball-61, studded with eight fours and two sixes. Only two batsmen Ariful Haque (17) and Mahmudullah (12) reached double digit figure.
Cottrell, aided by his fellow fast bowler Oshane Thomas (1-33) ripped through the top order with a barrage of short balls, leaving Bangladesh at 31-3.
Bangladesh batsmen also led their downfall, playing some wretched shots when patience was imperative against the short balls.
Shakib resisted but Cottrell continued making inroads and took the prized scalp of Shakib when he was set to launch attack in last powerplay.
Fast bowler Keemo Paul (2-23) cleaned up the tail to give the side a small target to chase.
The second T20 is on December 20 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka, which also holds tour-ending third match on December 22.
