LONDON: Bangladesh secured a thrilling five-run victory over Ireland in the third and final one-day international at Chelmsford on Sunday, clinching the series 2-0 with one match washed out.
Mustafizur Rahman’s outstanding performance with four wickets and Hasan Mahmud’s nerve under pressure were crucial in Bangladesh defending their total of 274 all out, as Ireland fell short with 269-9 in their chase.
Mustafizur, the 27-year-old left-arm fast bowler, delivered an impressive spell, claiming 4-44 from his 10 overs, including the dismissals of several top-order batsmen. His efforts restricted Ireland’s scoring opportunities and set the stage for a thrilling finale.
Ireland required 10 runs off the final over, but Hasan Mahmud’s excellent bowling led to two wickets. With six runs required off the last ball, Hasan delivered a yorker that struck tailender Craig Young on the boot, sparking jubilation among the passionate Bangladesh fans at the home ground of English county Essex.
Earlier in the match, Ireland seemed well-positioned to secure victory, needing 51 runs off nine overs with seven wickets in hand. However, Najmul Hossain, who claimed his first wicket at the international level, removed the in-form Harry Tector.
Tector, who had scored a career-best 140 in the previous match, was dismissed for a brisk 45 when he pulled a delivery from part-time bowler Najmul Hossain, only for Liton Das to take a stunning diving catch near the long-on boundary.
What did Bangladesh’s captain say about victory?
Reflecting on the win, Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, who top-scored for his team with 69 runs, admitted, “If I tell you we had the belief we’d win, I’d be lying. But cricket is really a funny game, wickets fall, and scoreboard pressure is very bad to have. When ‘the Fizz’ got two wickets, we thought we had a chance.”
Mark Adair, the Irish paceman, picked up four wickets for 40 runs, initially putting Bangladesh under pressure and leaving them with a gettable target of 275 runs in their allotted 50 overs. However, despite solid contributions from opener Paul Stirling, captain Andrew Balbirnie, and Lorcan Tucker, no Irish batsman was able to play the match-winning innings needed to secure victory.
With Tuesday’s washout denying Ireland the opportunity for a clean sweep and automatic entry into the World Cup in India, Balbirnie expressed disappointment over the team’s collapse on Sunday, emphasizing the need for self-reflection.
He said, “We have played a lot of games in these atmospheres; we only need to be harsh on ourselves. One of our players had to stay in and score a hundred.”
Ireland will now compete in the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe from June 18 to July 9. Bangladesh, on the other hand, can celebrate their hard-fought series win, which highlights their resilience and competitive spirit on the international stage.
