Tigers’ hopes dashed

It came down to the wire as Bangladesh needed four to win off the last ball of the game with skipper Mahmudullah Riyad on strike. But Andre Russell kept his composure and fired in a yorker which Mahmudullah couldn't connect, ending the Tigers' dream of reaching the semifinals of the ICC T20 World Cup, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Bangladesh, needing 13 off the last over, ended with 139 for five to suffer a three-run defeat in reply to 143 posted by the West Indies. Bangladesh's ploy to take the game deep backfired, resulting in their third consecutive defeat in the Super 12s.

The game swung like a pendulum till the end but probably the lack of winning habit got the better of the Tigers, who at one point, looked on course for their first victory of the super 12 stage.

With two set batsmen -- Liton Das and Mahmudullah at the crease, Bangladesh needed 33 runs from the last four overs with six wickets in hand. Even the win predictor suggested Bangladesh had a 69 percent chance of winning in contrast to the 31 percent for the West Indies.

And the 95 percent Bangladeshi crowd present at the Sharjah stadium were waiting for Liton to go after the bowlers, instead the right-hander kept looking for singles and eyeing to take the game deep.

Mahmudullah remained not out on 31 off 24 balls, with a six against Bravo in the first ball of the 19th over bringing down the equation to 16 off 11 balls.

But despite the brilliant start to the over Bangladesh went on to score nine runs in the end and lost the wicket of Liton, who was caught at long-on boundary by Jason Holder for a 43-ball 44.

Earlier, Bangladesh sent Shakib Al Hasan to open the innings for the first time in T20Is but that play didn't work for them.

Shakib, who struggled with his left calf muscle right from the start of the game, handed a simple catch at mid-on on a mistimed shot off the bowling of Andre Russell for nine.

Naim Sheikh never looked comfortable before chopping one onto the stumps against Holder after scoring 17 off 19 balls as Bangladesh scored 29 for two in the Powerplay.

Liton and Soumya raised hopes for a brief period by adding 31 runs for the third wicket before the latter departed for a 13-ball 17. But Liton's approach of not going for big shots raised a few eyebrows while Mushfiqur Rahim once again gave his wicket away while trying to play a scoop shot after scoring just eight.

Bangladesh had made two changes to the side, with Taskin Ahmed and Soumya Sarkar replacing Nasum Ahmed and injured Nurul Hasan. Mahmudullah won the toss and elected to bowl.

Mahedi Hasan gave the early breakthrough by removing the dangerous Chris Gayle upfront while Mustafizur Rahman dismissed Evin Lewis as West Indies scored 29 for two in the Powerplay.

But some poor catching from the Bangladeshi fielders, with Mahedi dropping two and Afif Hossain one, cost the Tigers dearly. West Indies, who were 84 for four after 15 overs, went on to add 58 runs in the last five overs.

Nicholas Pooran and Roston Chase both got lives and added 57 runs off just 33 balls for the fifth wicket, laying the platform for a fighting total. Holder, who was dropped on one, struck two sixes against Mustafizur in the last over as West Indies posted 142 for seven which eventually proved enough for the Caribbean side to register their first win of the Super 12 stage.