By Meg Anderson
BELFAST
(TheSportsNext) July 19, 2012: A career-best bowling performance by Elias
Sunny and an all-rounder show by former skipper Shakib Al Hasan helped
Bangladesh defeat Ireland by a huge margin of 72 runs in the first of the three
Twenty20 Internationals at Civil Service Cricket Club in Stormont on Wednesday.
Elias Sunny produced match-winning bowling spell of 4-1-13-5
which dismantled the Irish run chase as the tourist Bangladesh won the first
blood in Ireland.
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| Elias Sunny during Bangladesh vs Ireland: 1st T20I at Belfast, Ireland. |
Batting first, Bangladesh scored massive 190 runs for the
loss of five wickets, thanks to a brilliant half-century by former skipper
Shakib Al Hasan and a blistering cameo by Ziaur Rahman.
Shakib Al Hasan scored 57 runs from just 33 balls with the
help of nine classy boundaries while Ziaur Rahman used the long handle to
perfection as he raced to 40 not out from just 17 balls hitting five towering
sixes during the death overs.
Earlier, opening batsmen Tamim Iqbal (31 from 31 – 3 fours)
and Mohammad Ashraful (15 from 13- 2 fours) gave Bangladesh a confident start
of 35 runs for the opening wicket.
Shakib Al Hasan joined Tamim Iqbal for a blistering 59-run
second wicket partnership from just 38 balls which gave the tourists a perfect
launching pad to go for the kill in the final overs.
Despite of skipper Mushfiqur Rahim (6 from 5 – 1 four)
falling early, Mahmudullah (23 from 15 – 1 four, 2 sixes) gave Ziaur Rahman good
company as they took the total to 154 for five from 17 overs with Mahmudullah
falling on the final delivery of the 17th over.
However, Ziaur Rahman came to his own in the final 18
deliveries of the innings as he smashed Irish bowlers out of the park regularly
to help Bangladesh score 34 runs from the last three overs.
Paul Stirling was the most successful Irish bowler as he
claimed two wickets but gave away 38 runs from his four overs while Max
Sorensen captured two scalps for 42 runs.
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| Elias Sunny destorys Ireland in 1st T20I in Belfast. |
Chasing huge target of 191 runs, Ireland innings started in
a rollicking fashion with William Porterfield (26 from 16 – 2 fours, 2 sixes) taking
long route during the mandatory batting powerplay.
However, he lacked support from the other end as Paul
Stirling (4 from 8), Ed Joyce (11 from 18), Niel O’Brien (8 from 8 – 1 six),
and Kevin O’Brien (Duck) all fell in a quick succession before the Irish
skipper also fell to Abdur Razzak.
A late fighting knock by Gary Wilson (41 not out from 36 – 4
fours, 1 six) made sure that the home team managed to play out the whole quote
of 20 overs with getting all out.
In the end, Ireland could manage only 119 runs for the loss
of eight wickets from their 20 overs as they failed to handle left-arm
off-spins from Elias Sunny who recorded his career best figures of 5/13.
Abdur Razzak also bowled miserly for 4-0-9-2 while former Bangladeshi
captain Shakib Al Hasan tightened the noose on Irish batsmen with a spell of
4-0-26-0.
Elias Sunny was declared Man of the Match for his brilliant
spell of spin bowling.
The second and third Twenty20 International matches will be
played on July 20 and 21, 2012.
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