Sport
Marlon Samuels lifts West Indies to victory over Bangladesh in Twenty20 win
Marlon Samuels of the West Indies in action against Bangaladesh. PHOTO/Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
Explosive batting from Marlon Samuels lifted the World Twenty20 champions West Indies to an 18-run win over Bangladesh in a high-scoring match at Shere Bangla stadium on Monday.
Samuels hit a 43-ball 85 not out to steer the champions (West Indies) to 197-4 in their 20 overs. While there was some blistering hitting from the home team’s openers, they only managed to reach 179-1 in reply.
Samuels’s strong performance peaked at the end of the West Indies innings when he hit 29 runs in their final over, which included three sixes and a four.
He narrowly escaped being caught twice, with the catch missed both times by wicket-keeper Mushfiqur Rahim off paceman Ziaur Rahman.
Rubel Hossain was threatening at the outset as he dismissed Chris Gayle in the third over for six and then had Dwayne Smith (24) in his next.
Darren Bravo also batted impressively for the West Indies, hitting two sixes and five boundaries during his rapid 28-ball 41 before he was stumped by Rahim off Sohag Gazi.
Kieron Pollard (15) and Lendl Simmons (18 not out) added to Samuels’s big score, as the tourists added 75 runs in the final five overs.
