Batting first in both ODIs played to date, being inserted to bat in the first and choosing to bat first in the second, the regional team fell below 150 runs on both occasions. The stifling spin bowling of Mehidy Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan proved to be a major contributing factor in keeping the West Indies batsmen in straitjackets on both occasions.
Al Hasan claimed a jaw-dropping 4 for 8 runs in the first ODI, with an extraordinary miserly economy rate of 1.09 as the West Indies were restricted to 122. In the second, it was Mehidy who applied the restraints, claiming 4 for 25 with an economy rate of 2.59. The West Indies were restricted to 148 before Bangladesh easily chased down the target.
“They are two quality spinners, especially Shakib, one of the best in the world and Mehidy has been playing very well for Bangladesh as well,” Mohammed said of facing off against the pair.
“They have been good, and we haven’t been able to manage them, that’s why we have been getting those low totals.”
Rovman Powell was the team’s top scorer with 41 in the second ODI, while Kyle Mayers led the way with 40 in the first ODI. The West Indies and Bangladesh will face off for the final ODI on Monday at 12:30 am.
In what was another embarrassing display of batting, the West Indies, who won the toss and opted to bat, were bowled out for 148 in 43.4 overs. The visitors lost their first five wickets for 41 runs midway the 18th over and only managed to cross the hundred-run mark thanks to a 32-run ninth-wicket stand between Rovman Powell and Alzarri Joseph, who took the score from 88 for 8 to 120 for 9.
Powell, who also put on 28 for the last wicket with Akeal Hosein who made 12, fought hard for his top-score of 41 from 66 balls before being the last man out.
Meanwhile, amid the disaster of the top order batting, debutant Kjorn Ottley looked good during his brief stay at the crease scoring 24 of the West Indies 36 runs before becoming the second wicket to fall. Nkrumah Bonner scored 20 in a vain attempt to hold the middle order together as the West Indies were powerless in their efforts to keep the Bangladeshi bowling at bay.
“Obviously, it was a little disappointing for us. A much better wicket for us, and we needed to put a lot more runs on the board. I think the spinners were always going to be challenging. We keep losing wickets in clusters, and we can't have partnerships going. That's been our downfall,” said Captain Jason Mohammed following the carnage.
Mehidy Hasan took 4 for 25 with his right-arm off-breaks and there were two wickets each for Shakib al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman.
Bangladesh made light work of the chase easing to 149 for 3 from just 33.2 overs.
Captain Tamim Iqbal scored an even 50 while Shakib remained unbeaten on 43 at the end.
Raymon Reifer was the best of the Windies bowlers with 1 for 18 from the five overs he bowled. Akeal Hosein and Jason Mohammed shared the other two wickets between them.
Mohammed tried to take some positives from the humiliation.
“There's a little bit of positives -- Ottley played well in his debut game. Rovman did well to get us a decent total. Akeal bowled well again."
Bangladesh started day four 132-6, trailing the Windies by 42 runs with Nurul Hasan on 16 and Mehidy Hasan yet to score.
After the entire morning session was delayed by rain and a wet outfield, proceedings got underway after lunch with the Windies quickly cleaning up the Bangladesh tail with the wickets of Mehidy Hasan (4), Ebadot Hossain (0), Shoriful Islam (0) and Khaled Ahmed (0).
Nurul Hasan was the only batsman to offer any resistance for Bangladesh with an aggressive 60 not out off 50 balls as the tourists were dismissed for 186 with Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales doing the damage with three wickets each.
Needing just 13 runs to win, West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell made short work of the total to secure the win and a 2-0 series triumph.
Final Scores: Bangladesh 234 and 186, West Indies 408 and 13-0.
