WI clinch super over thriller to level series

Rishad Hossain's all-round show went in vain as West Indies clinched the second ODI in Dhaka against Bangladesh in the Super Over to level the three-match series 1-1. Shai Hope's unbeaten 67-ball 53 proved vital as West Indies equalled the score, before Akeal Hosein held his nerves in the Super Over to defend 11 runs.

Chasing 214 for a win, West Indies lost Brandon King for a duck in the first over. However, a slow but steady half-century stand between Alick Athanaze and Keacy Carty steadied West Indies innings. Rishad had both the batters trapped legbefore and triggered a collapse in the middle overs as the visitors slipped to 133 for 7 by the end of the 34th over.

However, Hope controlled the innings in the company of Justin Greaves and Hosein, adding 44-run stand with both respectively as West Indies headed towards a tense finish. Needing three runs off the last two balls, Hosein was cleaned up by Saif Hasan, leaving Khary Pierre to take West Indies over the line. The No 11 batter top edged a slog and the wicketkeeper, who had the ball covered, dropped it while the West Indian batters scampered for two runs to level the scores.

Heading into the Super Over, Sherfane Rutherford hit a slower delivery by Mustafizur Rahman to the cover fielder. With Mustafizur using his cutters to good effect, the onus was on the batters to generate pace on the ball. The last delivery, bowled to Hope, took the outside edge and ran away for a boundary taking West Indies' score to 10.

Bangladesh's chase in the Super Over got off on a positive note when Hosein bowled a wide and then overstepped off the next delivery. By the time the first legal delivery was bowled, the hosts were left needing only six runs off five balls. However, even as Hosein continued to err in his line, his flat, low darts proved difficult to put away as Bangladesh were restricted to nine.

Earlier in the day, West Indies employed 50 overs of spin - the first-time ever in ODIs - to restrict Bangladesh to 213 for 7. They swapped both their pace options - Jayden Seales and Romario Shepherd - and reinforced the spin attack. The move worked.

Even as Soumya Sarkar went on the offensive early on, Saif Hasan struggled to get off the mark for 14 deliveries before slogsweeping Akeal Hosein for a six. His enterprising innings though was cut short rightaway as he edged the next ball to the slip fielder.

Run making was difficult and West Indies kept chipping away with wickets at regular intervals. Sarkar, who had found the early push, too couldn't find scoring opportunities freely as the innings progressed. Alick Athanaze's offbreaks proved to be the most difficult to put away and the all-rounder, on paper the weakest link in the attack, ended up returning figures of 2 for 14 from his 10-over spell.

The most destructive of the spinners on the day, however, was Gudakesh Motie. He broke the back of Bangladesh's middle order, chipping away with the wickets of Towhid Hridoy, Nasum Ahmed and Nurul Hasan as Bangladesh were reduced to 163 for 7 by the end of the 46th over.

Motie, who had proved to be the most expensive bowler for the visitors, was taken apart again in the penultimate over by Rishad Hossain, who cracked two sixes and a boundary in the 18-run over that powered Bangladesh past the 200-run mark. He slammed another six and a four in the final over to help Bangladesh to a competitive total, which could have been defended had the hosts not messed up at several crucial points in the contest.

Brief scores: Bangladesh 213/7 in 50 overs (Soumya Sarkar 45, Rishad Hossain 39*; Gudakesh Motie 3-65, Alick Athanaze 2-14) tied with West Indies 213/9 (Shai Hope 53*, Keacy Carty 35; Rishad Hossain 3-42, Nasum Ahmed 2-38) West Indies won by 1 run in the Super Over.