Bangladesh come from behind to beat Ireland in 2nd ODI
Bangladesh came from behind to beat Ireland by three wickets in the 2nd ODI at the Country Cricket ground in Chelmsford. The Bangla Tigers looked under the pump at the halfway stage when Ireland posted 319/6 in a rain-affected 45-over match. But Najmul Shanto's gritty hundred helped the visitors chase down the daunting total despite an unfavorable start. Here are the key stats.
How did the match pan out?
Ireland had a poor start but the likes of Harry Tector and Andrew Balbirnie got them back on track with a 98-run stand. Later, Tector added 115 runs with George Dockrell. Ireland posted 319/6. In reply, Bangladesh also had an average start. But Najmul Shanto's ton kept them afloat. Later a gritty hand from Mushfiqur Rahim helped them win by three wickets.
Career-best ODI knock from Tector
Tector slammed his maiden ODI ton against Bangladesh and his 113-ball 140 helped the hosts reach a target beyond 300. This was also his fourth ODI century in nine innings. He stitched two crucial partnerships with Balbirnie and Dockrell. His knock was laced with 10 sixes and seven fours. This was the highest ODI score by an Irish batter against Bangladesh.
A crucial hand from Dockrell
Ireland all-rounder Dockrell smashed a very important 47-ball 74* which allowed the hosts to score big in the latter stages of the innings. He added 115 runs along with Tector and kept attacking even after the latter's dismissal. This was his fourth ODI fifty as he became the ninth Irish batter to complete 1,000 runs. Dockrell has raced to 1,047 runs in 110 ODIs.
A match-winning knock from Shanto
Najmul Shanto's maiden ODI century turned the game on its head. He slammed a 93-ball 117 and stitched a 131-run stand with Towhid Hridoy, which kept the Bangla Tigers in the game. He never allowed the asking rate to go beyond their reach and smashed 12 fours and two maximums during his knock. Shanto has now scored 580 runs in 23 ODIs.
How did the bowlers fare in the match?
It was a game dominated by batters as both teams scored more than 300 runs. But young Bangladeshi pacer Hasan Mahmud showed great heart as he finished with 2/48 from his nine overs. Shoriful Islam picked up 2/83. Among the Irish bowlers, Dockrell impressed with 2/58, whereas Curtis Campher scalped 2/37 from five overs. Overall, Dockrell has snapped 96 wickets in 110 ODIs.
An effective hand from Hridoy
Hridoy came to the crease when Bangladesh were in dire need of a partnership and his 131-run stand with Shanto changed the course of the game. He slammed a 58-ball 68, which was his second ODI fifty. Hridoy smashed five fours and three sixes.
Second-highest run chase for Bangladesh in ODIs
This was Bangladesh's second-highest run chase in ODI cricket. Here are the top four successful run chases for Bangladesh in ODIs: 322/4 vs Scotland in Nelson, 2015 322/3 vs WI in Taunton, 2019 320/7 vs Ireland in Chelmsford, 2023 313/6 vs Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, 2009.
Second-highest run-scorer for Bangladesh in ODIs
Courtesy of his 28-ball 36*, Rahim has raced to 7,142 runs in 247 ODIs at an average of 37.19. His effective cameo also allowed him to leapfrog Shakib in the runs tally for Bangladesh. The all-rounder remains at 7,132 runs from 232 ODIs and has dropped down to the third spot. Only Tamim with 8,231 runs in 239 ODIs is ahead of Rahim currently.
