Bangladesh wins by seven runs in West Indies T20 opener

In the first T20 International of a three-match series on Sunday, Bangladesh secured a thrilling seven-run win over the West Indies at Arnos Vale Stadium in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The match came down to the final over, where Bangladesh's pacer Hasan Mahmud played a crucial role in the victory.

Bangladesh posted a total of 146 for seven, and the West Indies were chasing a challenging target. West Indies captain Rovman Powell played a stunning innings, scoring 60 runs off 35 balls with five fours and four sixes. His powerful performance brought the West Indies back into the game, especially after they were struggling at 61 for seven in the 12th over. Powell’s partnership with Romario Shepherd (22) produced a vital 68-run stand in 38 balls, bringing the West Indies to within nine runs of victory with two wickets in hand.

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As the West Indies seemed to be in control, Hasan Mahmud delivered a perfect final over. With Powell still at the crease, Mahmud took charge, dismissing Powell on the third ball of the over by having him caught behind. Then, he bowled a brilliant delivery to send Alzarri Joseph’s stumps flying on the very next ball. With that, McCoy, who had claimed his 50th T20 International wicket earlier in the match, was left with no chance, and the West Indies’ chase ended there.

While McCoy had an impressive return to the team, taking two wickets for 30 runs, and Akeal Hosein also bowled well, taking two wickets for 13 runs, it wasn’t enough to stop Bangladesh. Bangladesh had faced challenges of their own in the match, with opener Soumya Sarkar holding the innings together with a score of 43 runs. Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, and Mahedi Hasan contributed well in the middle to lift the team to a competitive total after they were 96 for five in the 15th over.

Hasan Mahmud was the star of the match, not only with his bowling figures of four wickets for 13 runs but also for his crucial 26 runs that helped Bangladesh set a strong target. His all-round performance earned him the "Player of the Match" award, as his efforts in the final over sealed the victory for Bangladesh.

In the end, despite Powell and Shepherd’s remarkable efforts to bring the West Indies closer to victory, Hasan Mahmud’s superb final over thwarted their plans and ensured a memorable win for Bangladesh.