Bangladesh routs Ireland in 2nd T20, clinches series

Bangladesh routed Ireland by 77 runs in their second T20 international to clinch the three-match series on Wednesday.

Opener Liton Das struck a 41 ball-83 and skipper Shakib Al Hasan took 5-22 in a game reduced to 17 overs because of rain delays. Liton’s half-century off just 18 deliveries was the fastest by a Bangladeshi batter, eclipsing Mohammad Ashraful’s 20 ball-fifty in 2007 against the West Indies at the T20 World Cup.

Bangladesh won the first match by 22 runs through the DLS method. Put in to bat first, Bangladesh scored almost 12 runs per over to compile a hefty 202-3. The visitors responded with 125-9.

“We wanted to put up the same performance we did in the past few games and we did it well,” Shakib said. “If we want to be a great side, we have to go out there and express ourselves from ball one. That’s what we discussed and agreed that’s how we’re going to play.”

Liton and Rony Talukdar combined for a national record of 124 runs for the opening stand to give Bangladesh a solid start. They immediately went after the Irish bowlers and picked up 73 runs in the first five overs — the first powerplay of the game.

Liton brought up his 10th half-century by pushing legpsinner Ben White’s delivery to backward square leg for a single.

Talukdar treated another legspinner Gareth Delany with two sixes to join the party. White, who had figures of 2-28 in Bangladesh’s run fest, provided some relief by dismissing Talukdar after he hit 44 off 23.

Liton appeared to be on course of his maiden century but edged one off White that spun slightly. Shakib and Towhid Hridoy kept the runs flowing and added 61 off 29 before the latter was removed on 24 in the penultimate delivery. Shakib was not out on 38 off 24.

Ireland sustained a major setback when fast blower Taskin Ahmed (3-27) had Paul Stirling caught by Liton in the first delivery of the innings.

Shakib then got into the act, with a slower delivery that baffled Lorcan Tucker (6). He then struck twice in his second over to get the better of Ross Adair and Delany for single-digit figure.

Shakib gave Bangladesh another double-wicket over to complete his second five-for, dismissing George Dockrell and then Harry Tector, who struck three sixes for his 16 ball-22.

Curtis Campher top-scored for the visitors with 50 from 30 balls. Stirling said Bangladesh is “a very strong team” but added he “didn’t think it was going to be this one-sided.”

The teams conclude the series Friday before a one-off test starting next Tuesday in Dhaka.

“We have to think about team selection,” Stirling said. “We’ll have an unused pitch on Friday and hopefully we’ll be one step ahead. There’s no dead-rubber as far as we’re concerned and we want to ... show we’re serious.”