CHATTOGRAM, Bangladesh — The West Indies sealed a rare T20 International series triumph on Wednesday, edging Bangladesh by 14 runs in a scrappy but hard-fought contest at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium.
Despite a disjointed batting performance and an error-strewn fielding effort, the Caribbean side’s bowling attack—led by Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, and Jason Holder—dug deep to secure victory and clinch the three-match series 2-0.
It was only the West Indies’ second T20I bilateral series win in their last nine attempts, but one achieved more through grit than polish.
Hope and Athanaze build, then collapse follows
Captain Shai Hope and Alick Athanaze appeared to set the stage for a commanding total with fluent half-centuries in a 105-run stand after the early loss of Brandon King (1).
Athanaze’s 52 from 33 balls—featuring five fours and three sixes—showed the left-hander’s growing confidence at the international level. Hope matched him stroke for stroke, bringing up his ninth T20I fifty from just 30 deliveries.
However, the innings unraveled dramatically once Athanaze perished to spinner Nasum Ahmed. Rutherford fell next ball, and Hope soon followed for 55 off 36, spooning Mustafizur Rahman to point.
From 106 for one in the 12th over, the Windies collapsed to 149 for nine, losing eight wickets for just 43 runs. Roston Chase (17 not out) and Shepherd (13) managed late-order runs, but the final tally looked below par on a good batting surface.
Rahman (3-21), Ahmed (2-35), and Rishad Hossain (2-20) were the pick of Bangladesh’s bowlers.
Sloppy fielding keeps Bangladesh in it
Defending a modest total, the West Indies made life unnecessarily difficult. Their fielders dropped four catches, gifting reprieves to nearly every top-order batter.
Bangladesh’s chase began tentatively, but the home side was repeatedly pegged back by the visitors’ bowling discipline. Holder removed Saif Hassan early, and though captain Litton Das looked threatening with three crisp boundaries off Jayden Seales, he too survived a dropped catch—only to be bowled by Hosein for 23.
Even so, the Windies’ profligacy in the field kept the contest alive far longer than it should have. Seales dropped a sitter at deep square, Athanaze spilled one at midwicket, and the pressure began to mount.
Shepherd seals it in style
With Bangladesh needing 33 from 18 balls, Shepherd returned to deliver the decisive blow, having Tanzid Hasan, who top-scored with 61 off 48 balls, caught by King in the deep.
From there, the home side’s innings unraveled. Shepherd removed Jaker Ali (17) soon after, before Holder and Hosein mopped up the tail—Holder bowling Shamim Hossain and Hosein dismissing Rishad Hossain for a duck.
Bangladesh eventually stumbled to 135 for eight, 14 runs short of the target.
Shepherd’s 3-29 earned him Player of the Match honors, while Hosein (3-22) and Holder (2-20) completed an outstanding collective effort that masked the team’s earlier sloppiness.
Flawed yet triumphant
While the West Indies’ batting frailties and fielding lapses remain cause for concern, the result marked a step forward for a team searching for consistency and resilience.
They now hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, with one match remaining—a much-needed tonic after a difficult year in white-ball cricket.
The final T20I will be played on Thursday, with the visitors eyeing a clean sweep—and, perhaps, a more polished performance to match the result.
