Rony Talukdar helps Bangladesh beat Ireland in rain-shortened T20 opener

Rony Talukdar hit his maiden half-century to help Bangladesh secure a 22-run win against Ireland by DLS method on Monday in the opener of a three-match Twenty20 international series.

Talukdar struck 67 off 38 with seven fours and three sixes as opener to steer Bangladesh to 207-5 before rain halted the innings with four balls remaining.

Ireland’s revised target was set for 104 in 8 overs but it managed only 81-5.

Put into bat first, Bangladesh made a fluent start with Talukdar and Liton Das adding 81 runs in the first powerplay, eclipsing the previous high of 74 against Sri Lanka in 2018.

“They set the pace with the way they opened and played attacking cricket. The new guys coming in are not panicking, they want to come out and perform,” Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan said.

Paceman Craig Young, who claimed 2-45, broke through with the wicket of Liton in the eighth over. Liton hit four boundaries and three sixes in his 23 ball-47.

Talukdar slashed legspinner Ben White for a boundary through extra-cover to bring up his fifty off just 24 deliveries.

Harry Tector got rid of inform Najmul Hossain Shanto for 14 and then fast bowler Graham Hume baffled Talukdar with a slower offcutter.

The two dismissals in quick succession stalled Bangladesh’s progress.

Shamim Hossain, who made 30 off 20, and skipper Shakib Al Hasan injected some spark as the side went past 200 runs for the fourth time in its T20 history.

Before the rain arrived, Shakib was batting on 20 off 13 with Mehidy Hasan Miraz on 4.

“This is what we want. It is difficult for one or two guys to always contribute (We) want this kind of all-round performance,” Shakib said.

Paul Stirling, who is leading the team in the series after regular skipper Andrew Balbirnie was rested, and Ross Adair scored 18 runs in the first over of left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed to give the side a ray of hope.

But pacer Hasan Mahmud rattled the stump of Adair (13) with a yorker and fast bowler Taskin Ahmed took the game literally away with three wickets in his first over.

He started with Stirling, who made 17, and then dismissed Lorcan Tucker and George Dockrell.

Taskin then came back to get rid of Tector to finish with his career-best 4-16. Gareth Delany scored a team-best 21 not out.

“It (the wicket) looked tricky at some points, but got flatter and flatter,” Stirling said. “It’s disappointing to still come out on the wrong side. We were unlucky in periods and had we got wickets we could have put a squeeze on. We came on well in the last 10 overs, or the score could have been worse.”

The second match is on Wednesday.

Image: AP