Mustafizur, Sarkar hand Ireland drubbing in tri-series

By our correspondents

May 20, 2017

DUBLIN: Bangladesh thrashed Ireland by eight wickets in the One-day International (ODI) tri-series game in Malahide on Friday with opener Soumya Sarkar finishing 87 not out.

Ireland were bowled out for just 181 in the 47th over before Bangladesh eased to their target with 22.5 overs to spare.

Mustafizur Rahman’s spell that accounted for the cream of Ireland’s batting helped Bangladesh cruise to their first win in the tri-series. Ireland, sent in to bat, were bowled out for 181 in 46.3 overs with Mustafizur taking 4 for 23 off nine overs. Soumya Sarkar struck his second successive half-century as Bangladesh cruised home by eight wickets in the 28th over.

Ireland’s inability to convert starts — three batsmen made 25 or more while one other made 22 — resulted in them losing wickets in clumps. The only semblance of resistance came when Ed Joyce, who top scored with 46, and Niall O’Brien put together 55 for the fourth wicket. Mustafizur returned to dismiss O’Brien to expose the lower middle order with 22.3 overs still to play.

George Dockrell’s patient 50-ball 25 lifted them to 181 before Mashrafe Mortaza, the captain, brought the innings to a close with the wicket of Dockrell and Peter Chase. Mashrafe and Sunzamul Islam, the debutant left-arm spinner, finished with two wickets apiece.

Bangladesh’s openers — Tamim Iqbal and Sarkar — started steadily, before they went into overdrive in the ninth over when Sarkar blasted Barry McCarthy for two fours and a six. Tamim, generally the aggressor, built steadily to make 47 before the O’Brien brothers combined to break a 95-run stand. Tamim, looking to run the ball down, could only get a faint nick through to the wicketkeeper.

Sabbir Rahman didn’t take long to get into his groove, making an enterprising 35, which included three fours and a six, before falling with Bangladesh 10 short of victory. Sarkar carried his bat through to finish with an unbeaten 68-ball 87 and see Bangladesh home in Mushfiqur Rahman’s company.

Score Board

Bangladesh won toss

Ireland

E C Joyce c Tamim b Sunzamul 46

P R Stirling c Sabbir b Mustafizur 0

*W T S Porterfield c & b Mosaddek 22

A Balbirnie b Shakib 12

†N J O’Brien c Tamim b Mustafizur 30

K J O’Brien c Mosaddek b Mustafizur 10

G C Wilson c Mushfiqur b Mustafizur 6

G H Dockrell c Mushfiqur b Mashrafe 25

B J McCarthy lbw b Sunzamul 12

T J Murtagh not out 5

P K D Chase c Mushfiqur b Mashrafe 0

Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 8) 13

Total (all out; 46.3 overs) 181

Fall: 1-0, 2-37, 3-61, 4-116, 5-126, 6-134, 7-136, 8-171, 9-180, 10-181

Bowling: Rubel 8-1-41-0 (2w); Mustafizur 9-2-23-4 (2w); Mashrafe 6.3-1-18-2 (3w); Mosaddek 6-0-21-1; Shakib 9-0-38-1; Mahmudullah 3-0-13-0; Sunzamul 5-0-22-2 (1w)

Bangladesh

Tamim Iqbal c N O’Brien b K O’Brien 47

Soumya Sarkar not out 87

Sabbir Rahman c Dockrell b McCarthy 35

†Mushfiqur Rahim not out 3

Extras (lb 3, w 7) 10

Total (2 wickets; 27.1 overs) 182

Did not bat: Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Sunzamul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Rubel Hossain, *Mashrafe Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman

Fall: 1-95, 2-171

Bowling: Chase 7-0-55-0 (3w); Murtagh 5-0-26-0 (1w); McCarthy 4-0-42-1 (2w); Stirling 2-0-14-0; K O’Brien 5.1-0-22-1 (1w); Dockrell 4-0-20-0

Result: Bangladesh won by 8 wickets

Points: Bangladesh 4, Ireland 0