Ireland put one hand on the T20I series after another strong batting display set up a commanding position in the second match in Chattogram on Friday. Having lost the opening game by 39 runs, Bangladesh needed to respond, but instead found themselves chasing the contest from the very first over.
Ireland won the toss and opted to bat, and the decision proved decisive. Bangladesh made three changes to their XI, introducing Mahedi Hasan, Nurul Hasan and Mohammad Saifuddin, and opened the bowling with spin from both ends. It backfired instantly. Tim Tector cracked three boundaries in Mahedi’s opening over, and Paul Stirling went on the charge against Nasum Ahmed. The pair plundered 27 runs in the first 12 balls to seize early control.
Play was briefly halted when the floodlights malfunctioned, leading to a stoppage of more than 10 minutes, but it did little to contain the scoring. While Tanzim Hasan Sakib managed a tight over on resumption, Saifuddin’s first over was taken for 16.
Bangladesh finally broke the opening stand at 57 through a moment of brilliance in the field. Stirling, on 29 from 14 balls, pulled a short delivery from Tanzim, but Saif Hassan sprinted forward from deep square leg and dived low to claim a superb catch inches above the turf.
Mahedi dragged Bangladesh back into the contest in the ninth over with two key wickets. Tim Tector was stumped for 38 as the ball spun past his outside edge, before Harry Tector was bowled for 11. At 89 for 3, Bangladesh found a foothold after the early assault.
Ben Calitz struggled to get going, and the run rate dipped as Bangladesh managed to tighten the screws. From the 11th to the 17th over, Ireland added just 49 runs as the match drifted slightly back towards the hosts.
George Dockrell survived a run-out chance on one as Litton Das failed to gather cleanly, and went on to rebuild alongside Lorcan Tucker in a 56-run stand. Saifuddin broke the partnership when Dockrell was caught in the deep by Tanzid Hasan Tamim, another impressive piece of athletic fielding.
Ireland eventually posted a competitive 170 for 6. Tucker top-scored with 41 from 32 balls before being run out off the final delivery. Mahedi was the pick of the Bangladesh bowlers with 3 for 25, while Tanzim claimed 1 for 17 and was unlucky not to complete his full quota. Mustafizur Rahman endured a difficult spell, finishing with 0 for 39.
Ireland blasted 75 runs in the powerplay but were restricted to just 73 in the final 10 overs. Even so, Bangladesh face a daunting task given their chronic difficulties in chasing totals above 150 in T20Is and now stare at a possible series defeat on home soil despite favourable batting conditions in Chattogram.
