Mirpur (Bangladesh): Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain claimed a career-best 6-35 as Bangladesh crushed West Indies by 74 runs to open their three-match one-day international series.
Rishad’s figures, the second best by a Bangladesh bowler in an ODI behind Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s 6-26 against Kenya in 2006, helped to wrap up the West Indies innings for 133 in 39 overs.
He also hit a 13-ball 26 as Bangladesh posted 207 all out in 49.4 overs.
Openers Brandon King and Alick Athanzae batted resolutely on a typically sluggish Mirpur pitch to give the West Indies a glimmer of hope in the chase.
But the introduction of Rishad in the 12th over changed the momentum.
He took out Athanaze lbw on 27, got a thick edge off Keacy Carty, and got the outside edge of King, the West Indies to scorer with 44, in six overs of work.
King’s dismissal left West Indies 82-3 in the 22nd over.
Rishad bowled eight overs in a row in his first spell and ripped through West Indies middle order as it lost the next seven wickets for 51 runs.
Pacer Mustafizur Rahman took 2-16 to complement Rishad in demolishing the Caribbean batting lineup.
Earlier, Towhid Hridoy anchored Bangladesh’s innings after it was reduced to 8-2 in the third over.
Hridoy scored 51 off 90 with three fours and rebuilt the innings in a 71-run partnership with Najmul Hossain Shanto, who hit 32.
Hridoy steered off-spinner Roston Chase past cover for a single to raise his 11th half-century off 87 balls then was dismissed by Justin Greaves.
Debutant Mahidul Islam Ankon kept the runs going with 46 and Rishad’s aggressive finish propelled Bangladesh past 200.
The second ODI is on Tuesday.
