Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Tawhid Hriday are batting positively for the team after coming down to bat in response to 320 runs in Chelmsford. Tawheed Hriday has already completed fifty. On the other hand, Shanta picked up a century after half a century. Till writing this report, Bangladesh’s collection is 230 runs for 3 wickets in 33.2 overs.
Now Shanta is batting for 102 runs and Hridoy is batting for 67 runs.
Bangladesh did not get off to a good start chasing runs. Team leader and opener Tamim Iqbal got out after scoring only 7 runs. Another Liton Das scored 21 runs. The country’s best all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan could not do much. He scored 26 runs before getting out.
Meanwhile, Nazmul Hossain Shanto is playing in Apontal with Tawheed Hriday in the fourth wicket pair. So far, the two have formed an unstoppable 119-run partnership. Hridiya has completed fifty and Shanta century.
Earlier in Chelmsford, the toss was delayed by almost an hour and a half due to rain. Then when the rain subsided it was decided to play the game in 45 overs. And the game started almost two hundred and two hours after the scheduled time.
At the beginning of the match, Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal invited Ireland to bat after winning the toss. After losing the toss, Irish opener Paul Sterling returned home with a personal scoreless run in the first over by Hasan Mahmud. Another opener Stephen Doheny scored 12 runs.
However, Harry Tector handled team leader Andy Balbirnie in the third wicket pair. At this time, the two made a pair of 98 runs. Balbirnie was on his way to fifty. But he returned to personal 42 runs by Shariful. Besides, Tucker was out for 16 runs and Kampfer was out for 8 runs.
Meanwhile, Tector ruled the Bangladeshi bowlers with George Dockrell in the sixth wicket pair. The duo made a partnership of 115 runs off just 68 balls. That’s how the Irish got a huge collection. Tector took personal century. Get out for 140 runs. His impeccable innings of just 113 balls was lined with seven fours and ten sixes.
Meanwhile, George Dockrell remained unbeaten on 74 runs after completing his half-century. His innings of just 37 balls was decorated with three fours and four sixes. And Mark Adair remained unbeaten on 20 runs from 8 balls.
Hasan Mahmud and Shariful Islam took maximum two wickets each for Bangladesh. Besides, Taijul Islam and Ibadat Hossain got one wicket each.
(13 May/mm