Bangladesh A win first T20

The visiting Bangladesh A team registered a four-wicket win over the Ireland A team in the first of a three-match T20 series at the Clontarf Cricket Club Ground in Dublin yesterday.

Chasing 153, Bangladesh A reached the target for the loss of six wickets and with two overs to spare.

Another positive for Bangladesh A is that opener Soumya Sarkar finally managed to end his lengthy lean patch by scoring a fifty. Bangladesh A now lead the three-match series 1-0.

Bangladesh A lost their other opener Zakir Hasan off the very first ball of the innings for a duck but Soumya, alongside Nazmul Hossain Shanto, added 62 runs for the second wicket to lay the foundation for the victory.

Although Nazmul was dismissed on 38 runs off 23 balls, featuring seven fours, Soumya went on to reach his half century but after a 41 ball 57 run knock, laced with five fours and three sixes, he became Andy McBrine's second victim.

Young Afif Hossain finished the job for the visitors as the left-hander remained unbeaten on 35 runs off 21 balls, striking four boundaries and a six.

Right-arm off-spinner McBrine picked up three wickets while right-arm seamer Peter Chase took two for Ireland A.

Earlier, after taking the first guard Ireland were all-out on 152 in 20 overs. Simi Singh top scored for the side with 41 runs off 37 balls.

None of Ireland A's other batters were able to put up significant scores as the team kept losing wickets at regular intervals with Shariful Islam, Taijul Islam and Mohammad Saifuddin bagging two wickets each for the visitors.

Bangladesh A will take on Ireland A in the second match of the T20 series tomorrow.