In a stunning display of skill, Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain delivered a career-defining performance, claiming an incredible 6 wickets for just 35 runs. This exceptional spell powered his team to a resounding 74-run win over West Indies in the thrilling first match of their three-game ODI series on Saturday.
Hossain’s six-wicket haul now ranks as the second-best by any Bangladeshi bowler in One Day Internationals, a feat surpassed only by Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s 6-26 against Kenya back in 2006. Not just with the ball, Rishad proved his all-round capabilities by smashing a rapid 26 runs off just 13 deliveries.
Chasing Bangladesh’s total, West Indies started confidently, with openers Brandon King and Alick Athanzae laying a decent foundation on the challenging slow Mirpur pitch.
However, the momentum dramatically shifted when Rishad entered the attack in the 12th over. He swiftly dispatched Athanaze for 27, then secured the wicket of Keacy Carty, before taking down the top-scorer, Brandon King, for 44. This triple strike left West Indies reeling at 82 for 3 by the 22nd over.
Unleashing a relentless eight-over spell, Rishad systematically ripped through the West Indies middle order, completely unraveling their innings. The visitors crumbled, losing their last seven wickets for a mere 51 runs.
Adding to the pressure, Mustafizur Rahman provided excellent support, claiming 2 wickets for just 16 runs. Together, their combined efforts saw West Indies bowled out for a meager 133 runs in just 39 overs.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh’s batting line-up faltered early, finding themselves in a precarious position at 8 for 2 in the third over. However, Towhid Hridoy showed great composure, anchoring the innings with a solid 51 runs from 90 balls, featuring three well-struck boundaries.
Hridoy, alongside Najmul Hossain Shanto (who contributed 32 runs), forged a vital 71-run partnership that brought stability back to the Bangladeshi innings.
After gracefully reaching his eleventh ODI half-century with a single off Roston Chase, Hridoy’s innings eventually came to an end, dismissed by Justin Greaves.
Debutant Mahidul Islam Ankon also played a significant knock, scoring 46 runs. His efforts, combined with Rishad’s aggressive late-innings hitting, propelled Bangladesh to a competitive total of 207 runs before being all out in 49.4 overs.
Cricket fans can look forward to the second ODI of the series, which is set to take place on Tuesday.