Bangladesh beat world champions England by four wickets in the second T20I in Mirpur and took a 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match series. First T20I’s hero Najmul Hossain Shanto led the home team’s charge in a chase of 118 runs and top scored with an unbeaten 46 off 47 balls.
Apart from Shanto, Player-of-the-Match Mehidy Hasan Miraz also contributed 20 runs off 16 balls alongside his 4/12 in four overs. Earlier, England were asked to bat first after losing the toss and had a horrible start as they lost Dawid Malan for 16. Phil Salt and Moeen Ali then stitched a 34-run partnership for the second wicket but three wickets for seven runs left England reeling four down for 57 runs at the end of nine overs.
Ben Duckett, who top scored for England with 28 off 28, tried to hold one end for a bit but kept losing wickets at the other end. In the next eight overs after the ninth, the tourists could manage only 43 runs while losing three more wickets and Mehidy took all of them.
The death overs’ charge never came as England folded for a paltry 117 runs on the last ball of the innings. Apart from Mehidy, Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman and Hasan Mahmud took one wicket each.
Chasing 118, Bangladesh’s start was also rocked by the pacers they lost two wickets in the powerplay, one each to Sam Curran and Jofra Archer. Shanto, however, stood tall and two partnerships – one of 29 runs with Towhid Hridoy (17) and 41 runs with Mehidy- ensured the home team stayed on course.
Two quick wickets for five runs, including of Shakib, threatened to make the chase excitement but Shanto’s innings ensured that Bangladesh would chase the target with seven balls to spare and no further loss of wicket. Jorfra Archer took 3/13 in his four overs for England.
The third and final T20I of the series will be played on Tuesday, March 14.
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