Windies win in style over fighting Bangladesh

West Indies won their first Twenty20 international since winning the World T20, with Marlon Samuels playing an innings reminiscent of his assault on the Sri Lankan bowlers in the final of that tournament in Colombo. He smashed nine sixes in an innings full of confidence and clinical brutality, striking the ball clean and flat to dominate a Bangladesh attack that was on a high after picking up two early wickets.

His gear-shift at the death proved pivotal in the end, as Bangladesh, despite losing just a wicket in the chase, fell 18 short of their target. It is the first instance of a team losing just one wicket in a completed second innings in a Twenty20 international, and also being beaten.

Darren Bravo and Samuels didn’t restrain themselves after Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith fell early, with Bravo signalling his intentions right from his first ball that was driven imperiously through extra cover.

He then slashed Shafiul Islam through point, before taking on Bangladesh’s spinners. He stepped out to Abdur Razzak, smacking him for two fours and a six and dispatched Mahmudullah’s first delivery over long-on.

Samuels was let off twice by Mushfiqur Rahim, as he tried to open the face against the seamers, one a thick outside edge that was more a half-chance. He played the supporting role to Bravo in a stand of 66 in seven overs and dominated the innings once the pair was separated by a stumping. Sohag Gazi, the offspinner, dismissed Bravo but didn’t have a debut matching his maiden performances in Tests and ODIs. Kieron Pollard attacked him, launching him for two sixes in an expensive spell, before Samuels made the rest of the innings his own.

Samuels was a picture of absolute assuredness, he picked the gaps at will and was ruthless, silencing a crowd of nearly 19,000 at the Shere Bangla Stadium. He was batting on 27 off 24 at one stage and stepped up to hammer another 58 off just 19.

Cricinfo