WI survive another day

Nicholas Pooran’s 22-ball 40 and a disciplined bowling show help defending champions beat Bangladesh by three runs in thrilling contest to keep semi-final hopes alive

Defending champions West Indies kept alive their slender hopes of making the semi-finals while virtually knocking Bangladesh out of the T20 World Cup with a narrow three-run win here on Friday. Asked to set a target for the third consecutive time in the tournament, West Indies posted 142-7 with Nicholas Pooran’s 40 off 22 balls being the highlight of their innings.

The wicketkeeper-batter hit four sixes and one four. Roston Chase (39), making his T20 International debut, was the other chief contributor with the bat. In reply, Bangladesh could manage 139 for five in 20 overs as all West Indies bowlers picked one wicket each.

Bangladesh out

With no points from three matches, Bangladesh are out of the tournament, while West Indies can still sneak into the semi-finals, provided they win their remaining matches and other results go in their favour. Bangladesh began the chase on a poor note, losing openers Mohammad Naim (17) and Shakib Al Hasan (9), who was limping, in the first six overs. But gradually picked up the momentum with wicketkeeper batter Liton Das (44 off 43) taking the initiative.

WI’s Nicholas Pooran in full flow against Bangladesh yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

With 50 required off the last six overs with six wickets in hand, skipper Mahmudullah (31 not out) and Das looked to be in control, converting ones into twos while also hitting boundaries regularly. Dwayne Bravo (1-36) produced a conducive 17th over, giving away just three runs. In the first ball of the penultimate over, he was hit for a six by Mahmudullah, but the veteran all-rounder proved his mettle by getting rid of danger-man Das in his final ball.

Last-ball finish

Needing 13 of the last over, Mahmudullah failed to clear the boundary despite being dropped by Andre Fletcher in the fourth ball to bring down the equation to four off the last ball. But Andre Russell (1-29) bowled a gem of a final delivery full outside the off stump, denying Mahmudullah any chance to free his arms to seal a close win for West Indies.

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