Bangladesh ended their three-match losing streak in ODIs with a much-needed win in the opening T20I against the West Indies at Arnos Vale Ground. Aided by Mahedi Hasan’s stellar performance with the ball and a disciplined display by the pacers in the death overs, the visitors edged out the hosts by a slim margin of seven runs.
Chasing a modest target of 148, the West Indies stumbled early as Bangladesh’s Mahedi Hasan spun a web around their top order. The hosts had already lost Brandon King when Mahedi was introduced in the powerplay. On his second delivery, he trapped Nicholas Pooran in a brilliant piece of deception. Pooran, attempting an aggressive charge, missed the ball completely and was stumped swiftly by Litton Das.
In the next over, Johnson Charles temporarily lifted West Indies’ spirits by smashing two sixes and a boundary off Tanzim Hasan Sakib, scoring 25 runs in the over. However, Mahedi struck back soon after, dismissing Charles as he mistimed an aerial shot to mid-off, where Hasan Mahmud completed the catch.
Mahedi wasn’t done yet. With the West Indies struggling at 36/3 after six overs, he delivered a game-changing over, removing Andre Fletcher for a four-ball duck and then Roston Chase for 7 off 13 balls. These quick blows left the hosts reeling at 39/5, making their chase an uphill battle.
West Indies skipper Rovman Powell refused to give up, leading a spirited fightback alongside Romario Shepherd. Powell paced his innings cleverly, while Shepherd played the supporting role, bringing the required equation down to 20 runs off 18 balls.
Taskin Ahmed broke the crucial partnership by dismissing Shepherd for 22, but Powell continued to threaten. With 10 runs needed off the final over, Hasan Mahmud bowled a wide delivery that Powell tried to drive. The attempt resulted in an edge that was caught by the wicketkeeper, effectively ending West Indies’ hopes. Mahmud sealed the match by bowling out Alzarri Joseph, ensuring a hard-fought 7-run win for Bangladesh.
Earlier in the match, Bangladesh, put into bat by the hosts, managed to post a competitive total of 147/6. Soumya Sarkar was the standout performer with a quickfire 43 off 32 balls, while Jaker Ali (27), Mahedi Hasan (26*), and Shamim Hossain (27) contributed crucial runs in the latter stages. Their combined efforts ensured the visitors had a fighting total on the board.
The West Indies’ chase was derailed by Mahedi Hasan’s remarkable spell, which ended with figures of 4/17. Despite Powell’s valiant knock, which nearly turned the game in the hosts’ favor, the Bangladeshi bowlers held their nerve during crunch moments.