Mushfiqur Rahim’s fastest century made Bangladesh a record collection. Naturally chasing this run was almost impossible for the Irish. As a result, the Tigers had a chance to win the series with one game in hand. But that is no longer the case. The second ODI between Bangladesh and Ireland was abandoned due to rain.
The rain started immediately after the end of Bangladesh’s innings. As time went on the rate of rain increased. After about an hour and a half the rain stopped and it was decided to play in 20 overs. Later, the match was declared abandoned when it rained again.
Irish team leader Andy Balbirnie invited Bangladesh to bat after winning the toss at the beginning of the second one-day series in Sylhet. After losing the toss and going down to bat, the two openers started to play slowly. But Tamim Iqbal was run out on the last ball of the first power play and returned to the dressing room. He scored 23 runs before getting out.
Another opener, Liton Das, played brilliantly with Nazmul Hossain Shanto, who came down to play for the second wicket. At this time, Shanto made a 101-run partnership with 96 balls. Litton picked up a fifty. He was playing at his own pace. But Lytton returned to personal 70 runs off the ball of Kurtis Kaempfer. 17 runs come from Shakib’s bat. And Shanto stopped at 73 runs after completing his fifty.
Meanwhile, wicketkeeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim continued to rule the Irish bowlers along with emerging star Tawheed Hriday in the fifth wicket pair. Both of them scored 128 runs in just 78 balls. That’s what made Bangladesh a mountain of runs. Hridoy scored 49 runs in just 33 balls. Yasir Rabbi scored 7 runs.
Meanwhile, Mushfiqur Rahim played till the end of the innings. He scored a century off just 60 balls. He also holds the record for the least century in ODIs for Bangladesh. This brilliant innings is lined with 14 fours and two sixes.
(20 March/MM)