West Indies achieved a decisive 7-wicket victory, highlighted by Jayden Seales’s outstanding performance of 4 wickets for 22 runs, securing their first bilateral ODI series triumph against Bangladesh in a decade. Seales made a significant impact early in the match, claiming three wickets during his initial spell, which left the visitors struggling at 64 for 4 within just 11 overs, including 54 for 3 during the powerplay. Consequently, Bangladesh managed to post a total of only 227 runs. Brandon King played a pivotal role in the chase, leading the home team to successfully chase down the modest target with 13.1 overs remaining.
Mahmudullah guide Bangladesh to a decent target
The choice to bowl first in St. Kitts proved to be a sound one, as Seales dismissed Soumya Sarkar, Litton Das, and Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz for low scores during the powerplay, despite Tanzid Hasan’s aggressive response from the opposite end. The opener played exceptionally well, hitting four boundaries and two sixes in his innings of 46 runs off 33 balls before being dismissed by Justin Greaves, which left the visitors struggling at 64 for 4.
A brief recovery ensued as Mahmudullah dropped anchor and, together with Afif Hossain, put on a 36-run stand. However, Gudakesh Motie joined the party and sent back Afif and Jaker Ali in succeeding overs to leave the visitors reeling at 104/6 in 21 overs. Rishad Hossain’s eight-ball duck only made matters worse.
Brandon King's composed knock help West Indies chase the target
West Indies, pursuing a target of 228, benefited from a strong opening partnership of 109 runs between King and Evin Lewis. Initially, King took on the role of the aggressor while Lewis struggled to find his form. However, their collaboration provided the home team with a robust foundation for their chase. At one stage, Lewis was batting at 6 runs off 23 balls, but he shifted momentum by hitting Sakib for a sequence of 4, 6, and 4 in the ninth over, which not only accelerated the scoring but also brought up the team’s fifty. By the conclusion of the first powerplay, West Indies had established a comfortable position at 54 runs without losing a wicket.
Lewis struck Mehidy for a couple of sixes down the ground and was granted a reprieve, but Rishad Hossain ultimately dismissed him, caught and bowled, just one run shy of a half-century, thereby concluding his late surge. Meanwhile, King, who had reached his fifty off 52 balls, continued to stabilize the innings as he partnered with Keacy Carty for a 66-run collaboration, with Carty contributing the majority of the runs. Carty hit seven boundaries during his 47-ball innings but fell five runs short of a half-century, having been dismissed by Nahid Rana, who took an impressive diving catch to remove King earlier.
King was dismissed by a Rana yorker during the 29th over. The long shadow cast by one of the light towers on the pitch may have contributed to King’s inability to connect with the ball, yet he departed quietly after contributing 66 runs for the second wicket alongside Carty. During his 76-ball innings, King hit eight fours and three sixes. Shortly after King’s dismissal, Carty also fell, edging a catch to Rana off the bowling of Afif Hossain, having scored 45 runs from 47 balls. Rutherford and Hope then struck Rishad for a four and a six, respectively, in his eighth over.
However, the hosts were only 31 away from winning the series at the point and Sherfane Rutehrford’s lusty blows – two sixes and a four in a 15-ball 24 – sealed the deal with seven wickets and more than 13 overs to spare.
SCORECARD: Bangladesh 227 in 45.5 overs (Mahmudullah 62; Jayden Seales 4-22, Gudakesh Motie 2-36) lost to West Indies 230/3 in 36.5 overs (Brandon King 82, Evin Lewis 49, Keacy Carty 45) by 7 wickets
