Shakib Al Hasan-led Bangladesh have humbled the T20 World Champions England with a comprehensive six-wicket victory at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram. In a week's time, reigning limited-overs champions England lost to Bangladesh in ODIs and T20Is under the leadership of Jos Buttler. This was the first time Bangladesh and England played a T20I series and the latter got a reality check as they were outplayed in every department of the game.
Confident start
In the run chase, Bangladesh openers Litton Das and Rony Talukdar walked out with an intention to throw England off their game. Talukdar succeeded for a while but fell victim of leg-spinner Adil Rashid's flighted delivery which crashed into the leg-stump. He contributed with a 14-ball 21 cameo. Das could not do much and top-edged one off Jofra Archer. He scored just 12 runs from 10 balls. Towhid Hridoy and Najmul Hossain Shanto kept Bangladesh in the hunt as the hosts had 54 runs on the board after fielding restrictions.
The Shanto show
In the seventh over, Shanto punished Mark Wood hitting him for four consecutive fours. It changed the course of the game. At halfway stage, Bangladesh were 98/2. In the 12th over, Shanto got to his half-century from just 27 deliveries. Moeen Ali got the big wicket. Hridoy danced down the wicket in an attempt to slog it over cow corner but found Sam Curran. He scored 24 runs from 17 balls in the 65-run partnership. Wood made up for the expensive first over as well with Shanto's wicket. The inside edge hit the middle stump as England made a comeback. Shanto scored 51 off 30 deliveries including eight fours.
Even after two quick wickets, the required run rate was not threatening enough to make Afif Hossain and Shakib panic. Malan dropping Hossain did not work in their favour either. Veteran Shakib sealed the win with a boundary in the 18th over to help Bangladesh create history. Bangladesh won by six wickets, their first T20I win over two-time T20 World Champions England. He remained unbeaten for 34 off 24 deliveries with Hossain on the other end for a 13-ball 15.
Solid start
Earlier, Shakib won the toss and opted to bowl first. Buttler and Salt got England off to a terrific start. Boundaries were scored from both ends as England had 51 runs on the board after powerplay overs. In his last over, Nasum Ahmed broke the opening partnership. Salt went for a big shot but managed an underedge which landed in wicketkeeper Das' gloves. He scored 38 runs from 35 deliveries including four fours and one six.
Buttler’s onslaught, gutsy Mahmud
Shakib brought himself back into the attack and got Dawid Malan's wicket for a single-digit score. Malan lofted it straight to long-on fielder Shanto. Meanwhile, Buttler got to his half-century with a six and followed it up with another maximum. Ben Duckett got off to a good start as well hitting three boundaries. Just before the slog overs, Duckett got bowled by Mustafizur Rahman as he played across the line. He scored 20 runs from 13 deliveries.
At the start of slog overs, Bangladesh got the crucial wicket of Buttler. The opener went for the big shot off Hasan Mahmud but found Shanto at long-on. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 67 runs from 42 deliveries including four fours and as many sixes. At the time of Buttler's wicket, England were 135/4 with 23 balls left in the innings. Mahmud conceded just a single from the over and picked up a wicket.
Quiet slog overs
Not a single boundary was scored in the next two overs. Mahmud bowled a sensational spell and got Curran's wicket in the penultimate over. Curran could score only six runs from 11 deliveries before handing an easy catch to Shanto once again at long-on. In the final over, Taskin Ahmed removed Woakes with a slower delivery. Jordan ended the boundary drought with a four off the second delivery he faced. Only 21 runs were scored off the last four overs as England posted a below par total of 156/6.
